Effect of thermal parameters and pH on obtaining copper ferrite via EDTA-Citrate complexation method

Abstract

The synthesis of ceramic materials such as ferrite has been widely studied in recent years, due to their properties that make these materials have excellent applications in technology, as well as in photocatalytic processes and as catalysts. To obtain the copper ferrite phase the EDTA-Citrate complexation method was used, varying pH (5, 7 and 9), temperature (600, 800 and 1000 °C) and calcination time (2, 7 and 12 h). Composition, morphology and structural analyzes were performed by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, X-ray dispersive energy, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction, respectively. Crystalline phase of copper ferrite (CuFe2O4) with tetragonal structure and secondary phase of Fe2O3 and CuO was verified by XRD analysis. Regarding the chemical composition analyzes, percentage deviations of the samples and the theoretical value for copper and iron were calculated. It was obtained minimum values of 0.16 - 0.08% (atomic%, EDS) and 16 - 8% (atomic%, XRF) in relation to copper and iron, respectively, for the sample obtained under pH 9, calcined at 600 °C for 12 h. The variation of the synthesis condition via EDTA-Citrate directly influenced the morphology of copper ferrite, presenting agglomerated particles, pore formation, irregular spheres, and even powder sintering.

keywords: thermal parameters, pH, copper ferrite, EDTA-Citrate, crystallinity and morphology.