Mechanism and microstructural evolution of polyol mediated synthesis of nanostructured M-type SrFe₁₂O₁₉

The synthesis mechanism of nanostructured M-type strontium hexaferrite SrFe₁₂O₁₉ with high coercivity (5.7 kOe) obtained by a polyol process and annealing is proposed. The results show that the hexaferrite is synthesized through the formation of a complex with diethylene glycol during the hydrolysis and solvation stage, followed by the condensation of magnetite and strontium oxide. The results of the monitoring of the process by X-ray diffraction (XRD) of synthesized powders, magnetization hysteresis loops and micromorphology are presented and discussed. The proposed mechanism suggests the intermediate formation of the magnetite phase, which shows coercivity near zero at room temperature and confirms the nanoscale of the particles. Results of thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis indicate that this phase is followed by the formation of the hematite phase after a heat treatment up to 543 °C in an oxidizing atmosphere. Finally, the hexagonal phase is obtained after application of annealing at 836 °C through the reaction between hematite and strontium oxide.