Structural, morphological and magnetic investigations of CuCe 0.2 Fe 1.8 O 4 graphene-supported nanocomposites

Graphene acts as an excellent supporting material in the preparation of a variety of nanocomposites. In this study, thick sheets of graphene of differing nanometer sizes were prepared using the modified Hummer's method. CuCe0.2Fe1.8O4 ferrite nanoparticles were fabricated using the facile co-precipitation technique. Subsequently, the hydrothermal method was employed for the fabrication of graphene-based CuCe0.2Fe1.8O4 nanocomposites. We investigated the crystal structure, functional groups, thermal stability, morphology, and magnetic properties of CuFe2O4, CuCe0.2Fe1.8O4 ferrite nanoparticles, and graphene-based CuCe0.2Fe1.8O4 nanocomposites. Graphene was found to have distinct effects on the surface morphology, crystallite size, lattice strain, and thermal stability of the CuCe0.2Fe1.8O4 nanocomposites. The average crystallite size and grain size were found to increase, whereas the lattice strain decreased, with the use of graphene and increased Ce3+ content. The Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM) results indicated that the saturation magnetization and coercivity were in the range of 11–30 emu/g and 690–1044 Oe, respectively. The direct effects of graphene on morphology, crystal structure, and thermal stability, as well as the improved magnetic properties, demonstrate that these nanoparticles and nanocomposites may be suitable for switching, electromagnetic wave absorbers, adsorbents, and catalytic applications.