Northern Kentucky University
Structural and Magnetic Studies of Ferrite Materials for Potential Pressure Sensor Applications
Institution
Northern Kentucky University
Faculty Advisor/ Mentor
Wayne J. Bresser; Chari Ramkumar
Abstract
Structural and magnetic analysis was carried out on the following ferrite systems: Fe-Co, FeMg, Fe-Ni, Fe-Mg-Zn, and Fe-Ni-Cu-Zn for the purpose of creating a magnetic material capable of use with a magnetoelastic pressure sensor. The compositions of each system were varied stoichiometrically and pressed into toroids. The atomic phase of each system was verified by Xray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy was applied to each ferrite in order to study their respective vibrational energy levels. Mossbauer spectroscopy was also used in order to identify the iron sites in the sample and describe the nuclear environment of the iron atoms. Each ferrite was calcined at a material specific temperature between 650° C and 700° C for one hour and then sintered at 850° C for one hour. Particle size was determined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and was found to be ranging from <1 micron to 10 microns in diameter. Each ferrite powder was pressed into a toroid using a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) solution as to examine each material’s inductance change in relation to the external pressure applied. Processing parameters of toroid production were varied in order to determine optimal amounts of binder and other constituents.
Structural and Magnetic Studies of Ferrite Materials for Potential Pressure Sensor Applications
Structural and magnetic analysis was carried out on the following ferrite systems: Fe-Co, FeMg, Fe-Ni, Fe-Mg-Zn, and Fe-Ni-Cu-Zn for the purpose of creating a magnetic material capable of use with a magnetoelastic pressure sensor. The compositions of each system were varied stoichiometrically and pressed into toroids. The atomic phase of each system was verified by Xray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy was applied to each ferrite in order to study their respective vibrational energy levels. Mossbauer spectroscopy was also used in order to identify the iron sites in the sample and describe the nuclear environment of the iron atoms. Each ferrite was calcined at a material specific temperature between 650° C and 700° C for one hour and then sintered at 850° C for one hour. Particle size was determined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and was found to be ranging from <1 micron to 10 microns in diameter. Each ferrite powder was pressed into a toroid using a polyvinyl alcohol>(PVA) solution as to examine each material’s inductance change in relation to the external pressure applied. Processing parameters of toroid production were varied in order to determine optimal amounts of binder and other constituents.