Synthesis and characterization of composites of ceramic nano-particles with non-conducting polymers for dielectric materials production

In the present study sol–gel [1] method was successfully used to synthesize nanoparticles of Fe_1.46Zn_0.5La_0.04Cu_0.504O₄ (FLZCs). High resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM) specified the formation of granular nano spheres beside an intermediated phase of nanowires. Polymer-blended magnetic materials were obtained using poly (vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP), poly (vinyl alcohol), poly (ethylene Glycol) and Poly (ethylene oxide) as capping agents. This coating strategy controls the agglomeration of ferrite nanoparticles, and produces a well-designed core–shell nano-assembly with enhanced physical properties. X-ray Diffraction and HRSEM confirmed the formation of ferrite as a core surrounded by various polymeric shells. The nanocomposites with PVP shell resulted in increased ac conductivity (r) of about four orders of magnitude higher than that recorded for the pure ferrite. These novel results indicate that such series of core–shell nanocomposites are promising candidates in industrial applications such as electro-active materials and magnetic substances. Moreover, this study emphasized that ferrite nanoparticles are good additive to non-conducting polymers when blended in the form of core–shell nanocomposite structure.