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Rapid fabrication, magnetic, and radiation shielding characteristics of NiFe2O4 nanoparticles

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Abstract

This study aims to prepare NiFe2O4 nanoparticles using a glycine assisted auto-combustion method. Characterization of the investigated ferrite was achieved by XRD, FTIR and TEM techniques. In addition, the magnetic properties of the as prepared ferrite using the VSM technique were determined. Furthermore, using MCNPX code, the X-ray/gamma ray shielding characteristics of NiFe2O4 nanoparticles in the energy range of 0.015–15 MeV have been evaluated. In this study, a comparison was made between the shielding properties of the prepared sample and other typical gamma-ray shielding materials (Ordinary concretes, basalt magnetite, hematite serpentine, and Ilmenite limonite), and various shielding materials (P2 Polymer Guanine, T1, PCNK60, VR3 volcanic rock, SLGC-E5, LBZ4, RS-360, BBSN5.7, and TZE-F). The obtained results show that the current prepared sample provides full (100%) x-ray protection and effective performance for gamma-ray shielding at energies up to 15 MeV. The current work creates new opportunities for the low-temperature, simple, effective, and affordable synthesis of nanomaterials for usage in display device applications and X-ray/gamma-ray shielding.

© 2024 Optica Publishing Group under the terms of the Optica Open Access Publishing Agreement

1. Introduction

Recently, increasing use of electronic devices in most aspects of life has led to the presence of what is called electromagnetic interference pollution [1,2]. This pollution has become a source of great concern as a result of its increase day after day and thus the seriousness of its impact on human health and electronic safety [3,4]. This matter required many at-tempts to develop and improve the efficiency of electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials [5,6]. In fact, the main mechanism of EMI shielding materials involves reflection, multiple reflections, and absorption [7,8]. However, an ideal electromagnetic interference shielding material should have many qualities that include low density, light weight, design flexibility, thermal stability, etc. [9]. In addition, the physicochemical properties of EMI shields depend on their microstructures such as particle size, interfaces, shape, density, etc. [10]. In other words, adjusting and controlling microstructure leads to improving and developing the physicochemical properties of different materials [1113]. Accordingly, it is important to study the microstructure and its effect on the electromagnetic interference shielding characteristics [14,15]. In this regard, the spinel ferrite based nanoparticles have gained great and influential importance as a result of their wide-ranging applications in information storage, electronic devices to medical diagnostics, drug delivery, supercapacitors, anode materials for lithium-ion batteries, and micro-wave- and radar-absorbing material [16,17].

Owing to its numerous uses in microwave, electrical, magnetic, and electrochemical devices, nickel ferrite (NiFe2O4) holds a prominent and significant place among the candidates of the spinel ferrite family [18]. This significant ferrite variety is helpful for electronic devices that rely on low coercivity, eddy, and hysteresis loss, such as telecommunications and high-frequency devices. [19]. On the other hand, the electromagnetic wave absorption capability of spinel ferrite nanoparticles depends on its structural characteristics such as crystallinity, particle size, cation distribution, morphology, preparation method, etc. [20,21]. Due to ferrites’ numerous applications and the need to control their properties, different preparation techniques have been developed. These techniques include co-precipitation, hydrothermal/solvothermal, microwave-assisted, microemulsion, sonochemical, sol gel, and auto-combustion methods. [1113,2224].

The auto-combustion method offers several advantages over other chemical synthesis techniques, including a quick synthesis process, the creation of high-purity products, homogenous composition, and the stability of metastable phases. [1113]. In addition, this method is a simple and economic method depending on low energy consumption [13]. In addition, this method is a synthetic method that can be developed, as it was developed in the Deraz's method called by “incandescent combustion method”, which relied on the direct use of dried plant leaves in the preparation of some nanoscale ferrites and oxides [1113]. The fabrication of cobalt, copper, nickel, manganese ferrites, and Ni/NiO Nano-composites was described by this author using just the dry leaves of the Corchorus olitorius plant [1113]. Conversely, our earlier research verifies that the glycine-mediated combustion approach was successfully used to generate ZnxNi1-xFe2O4 (x = 0 and 0.3) nanoparticles, depending on the glycine's combustion properties and zwitter ion. [25].

Nuclear technologies have been increasingly significant in the last few decades for a variety of sectors, including laboratory-scale nuclear research, manufacturing, agriculture, neutron capture therapy, multi-element analysis, food irradiation, capacitor irradiation, thermal neutron diffraction experiments, scientific research, and medical physics. Due to radiation exposure and the harmful effects of ionized radiation, scientific research is still necessary to find and develop materials used as radiation shields [2628]. This is due to the increasing usage of ionization radiations, such as X- and gamma-rays, in a number of industries and fields, such as manufacturing, nuclear engineering, medical, multi-element analysis, design of reactors, safety mechanisms, power stations, agriculture, and aero-space applications. [29]. When ionizing radiation is exposed to a biological system over an extended length of time, it can have harmful effects, including sickness and death. Therefore, protecting people from dangerous radiation is crucial. As long as a material is thick enough to withstand radiation to a fair degree, it can be used as radiation shielding. These qualities are necessary for new shielding materials used in radiation applications today [30]. First, the material's shielding capacity needs to match the demands of the radiation treatment application. Second, the new material needs to be sufficiently pliable to form into any desired shape with ease. Lastly, materials must to be simple to recycle and ecologically friendly. Lead-based products have been applied to many different fields both historically and currently [31]. Lead-based materials can be challenging to utilize in specific situations due to their toxicity, opacity, and low durability. Thus, researchers are very interested in producing lead-free materials for radiation protection applications. Since they are less hazardous, more environmentally friendly, and non-toxic than lead, metal alloys, metal composites, glasses, polymers, and other materials have been recommended as suitable shielding materials for radiation fields. [912].

On the other hand, NiFe2O4 is a promising material for radiation shielding applications due to its high density, high atomic number, and good chemical stability. It has been shown to be effective in shielding against a wide range of radiation, including gamma rays, X-rays, and neutrons. One of the key advantages of NiFe2O4 is its high density. This allows it to absorb more radiation per unit volume than other materials, such as concrete or lead [32]. Additionally, NiFe2O4has a high atomic number, which makes it more effective at stopping high-energy photons [32]. Another advantage of NiFe2O4 is its good chemical stability. This means that it is resistant to corrosion and degradation, even in harsh environments. This makes it a good choice for long-term use in radiation shielding applications [33]. NiFe2O4 can be fabricated into a variety of forms, including powders, ceramics, and composites [34]. This makes it versatile and adaptable to a range of applications. For example, NiFe2O4 powder can be used to fill voids in structures or to coat surfaces to provide radiation protection [35]. NiFe2O4 ceramics can be used to fabricate shielding blocks or tiles. NiFe2O4 composites can be used to create lightweight and flexible shielding materials [36].

This study aims to prepare NiFe2O4 nanoparticles using glycine assisted au-to-combustion method. Characterization of the investigated ferrite was achieved by XRD, FTIR and TEM techniques. In addition, the magnetic properties of the as prepared ferrite using VSM technique were determined. On the other hand, this study is to explore the shielding features against X/Gamma-ray of NiFe2O4 system at energies between (0.015–15 MeV) using MCNPX code relative to common used shielding materials and recently studied materials.

2. Materials and methods

2.1 Materials

NH2CH2COOH, Fe(NO3)3.9H2O, and Ni(NO3)2.6H2O, respectively, are the chemical formulae for glycine, ferric nitrate hydrate, and nickel (II) nitrate. Materials for this experiment were supplied by the Sigma-Aldrich Company (Darmstadt, Taufkirchen, Germany). These reagents were utilized quantitatively, and no further processing was required.

2.2 Preparation method

A single sample of NiFe2O4 was produced by the glycine-assisted auto combustion method. In order to construct the sample under research, an equimolar mixture of nickel and ferric nitrates hydrate was carefully mixed with 2.5 mole glycine in a crucible, keeping in mind the stoichiometric ratio of Fe/Ni = 2. The resulting materials were initially whirled at 80 °C to allow the water to evaporate, which increased the viscosity of the materials under examination. Subsequently, the mixture was gelled by raising the temperature to 120 °C. A 15-minute calcination at 300°C raised the created precursor gel's temperature to that of a crucible. A big volume of dense, fluffy material looked to be produced by the mass burning swiftly, as evidenced by the spark that started in one corner and immediately spread across the volume. In this region, foam has started to form.

2.3 Characterization system

We investigated the structural properties of various nanostructures using X-ray diffraction and a BRUKER D8 advance diffractometer (Karlsruhe, Germany). The panels were operated with Cu Kα radiation at 40 kV, 40 mA, and a scanning rate of 2° per minute. The various lattice properties of pure and substituted nickel ferrite represented in the investigated product have been ascertained by applying Equations (1) through (10) based on X-ray diffraction line broadening of plane (311) and Scherrer equation calculations [25]:

$$d = {\raise0.7ex\hbox{${B\mathrm{\lambda}}$} \!\mathord{/ {\vphantom {{B\mathrm{\lambda}} {\beta \cos \theta}}}}\!\lower0.7ex\hbox{${\beta \cos \theta}$}}$$
$$\delta = {\raise0.7ex\hbox{$1$} \!\mathord{/ {\vphantom {1 {{d^2}}}}}\!\lower0.7ex\hbox{${{d^2}}$}}$$
$$\varepsilon = {\raise0.7ex\hbox{${\beta \cos \theta}$} \!\mathord{/ {\vphantom {{\beta \cos \theta } 4}} }\!\lower0.7ex\hbox{$4$}}$$
$${D_x} = {\raise0.7ex\hbox{${8{M_w}}$} \!\mathord{/ {\vphantom {{8{M_w}} {N{a^3}}}}}\!\lower0.7ex\hbox{${N{a^3}}$}}$$
$${L_A} = \left( {\sqrt {{\raise0.7ex\hbox{$3$} \!\mathord{/ {\vphantom {3 4}}}\!\lower0.7ex\hbox{$4$}}}} \right)a$$
$${L_B} = \left( {\sqrt {{\raise0.7ex\hbox{$2$} \!\mathord{/ {\vphantom {2 4}}}\!\lower0.7ex\hbox{$4$}}}} \right)a$$
$${r_A} = ({u - {\raise0.7ex\hbox{$1$} \!\mathord{/ {\vphantom {1 4}}}\!\lower0.7ex\hbox{$4$}}} )a\sqrt {3\textrm{}} \textrm{} - r({{O^{2 -}}} )$$
$${r_B} = ({{\raise0.7ex\hbox{$5$} \!\mathord{/ {\vphantom {5 8}}}\!\lower0.7ex\hbox{$8$}} - u} )a - r({{O^{2 -}}} )$$
$$A - O = \textrm{}({u - {\raise0.7ex\hbox{$1$} \!\mathord{/ {\vphantom {1 4}}}\!\lower0.7ex\hbox{$4$}}} )a\sqrt 3 $$
$$\textrm{B} - O = ({{\raise0.7ex\hbox{$5$} \!\mathord{/ {\vphantom {5 8}}}\!\lower0.7ex\hbox{$8$}}\textrm{} - u} )a$$
where Dx is the density based on XRD results, Mw is the molecular weight, N is the Avogadro's number, a is the lattice parameter, r(O2−) is the radius of oxygen ion, u is the oxygen ion parameter, ε is the strain, β is the full-width half maximum (FWHM) of diffraction, θ is the Bragg angle, d is the mean crystallite size of the phasing being investigated, B is the Scherrer parameter (0.89), and λ is the wavelength of the X-ray beam being used. These values are based on the phasing under investigation. On tetrahedral and octahedral sites, the separation between the magnetic ions (LA, LB), bond lengths (A–O, B–O), and ionic radii (rA, rB) was measured.

Multiple materials were subjected to Fourier transfer infrared (FTIR) spectra measurements using a PerkinElmer Spectrophotometer (type 1430, Shelton, USA). Each solid sample was milled to two milligrams, and 200 mg of vacuum-dried IR-grade KBr was added. In the region of 4000–400 cm−1, the FTIR spectra were recorded. The material was mixed in a vibrating ball mill for three minutes, and then it was spread out using a 13 mm diameter steel die. The double grating spectrophotometer container of the FTIR spectrophotometer was loaded with the same discs.

SEM and TEM pictures were obtained using the JEOL JAX-840A and JEOL Model 1230, both manufactured by JEOL in Tokyo, Japan. To distribute individual particles over mount setup and copper grids, the examined material was first diluted in ethanol and then briefly treated with ultrasonic radiation.

An oscillating sample magnetometer (VSM—Model 9600-1, LDJ Electronics, Troy, MI, USA) with a maximum applied field of 20 kG was employed to investigate the magnetic characteristics of the undiscovered ferrites.

3. Radiation shielding

3.1. MCNPX code

The radiation shielding features of the prepared sample was studied using MCNPX code. MCNPX is a Monte Carlo simulation code that was used to calculate the mass attenuation coefficient (µ/ρ) of the prepared sample. The MCNPX input file was designed to simulate a gamma-ray attenuation experiment, with a point isotropic source, Pb collimator, NiFe2O4 sample, F4 tally mesh detection field, and Pb blocks to prevent scattered radiation. The NiFe2O4 sample was positioned in between the F4 tally mesh and the source. Depending on the glass sample's material properties, the MCNPX code cell construction was altered. The MCNPX material card was used to define the material attributes of the glass sample by taking into account the mass fractions of each element. A value of 108 particles was chosen for the NPS parameter. Using the Beer-Lambert law, the average photon flux from the sample in the F4 detection field was measured and displayed to get the linear attenuation coefficient. Following that, each linear attenuation coefficient was divided by the glass density to determine the mass attenuation coefficients at different photon energies. Figure 1 shows a three-dimensional view of the MCNPX gamma-ray attenuation configuration.

 figure: Fig. 1.

Fig. 1. Simulation setup of gamma-ray mass attenuation coefficient from MCNPX Visual Editor.

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When radiation intensity passing through a shielding material is cut in half, the thickness of the material is called the half-value layer (HVL). When developing and refining gamma-ray shielding systems, the HVL of a sample is a crucial factor. Best shielding performance is found in the sample with the lowest HVL value. The following formula can be used to determine the HVL:

$$HVL = ({\ln {\raise0.7ex\hbox{$2$} \!\mathord{/ {\vphantom {2 \mu}}}\!\lower0.7ex\hbox{$\mu $}}} )$$
where µ is the linear attenuation coefficient of the glass in cm-1.

Zeff is a parameter that is used to describe the attenuation of radiation by a compound or mixture. It is analogous to the atomic number of elements, and can be calculated using the following equations:

$${\textrm{Z}_{\textrm{eff}}} = \frac{{{\mathrm{\sigma}_{\textrm{t},\textrm{a}}}}}{{{\mathrm{\sigma}_{\textrm{t},\textrm{el}}}}} = \frac{{\mathop \sum \nolimits_\textrm{i} {\textrm{n}_\textrm{i}}{\textrm{A}_\textrm{i}}{{({\mathrm{\mu }/\mathrm{\rho }} )}_\textrm{i}}}}{{\mathop \sum \nolimits_\textrm{i} {\textrm{n}_\textrm{i}}{\textrm{A}_\textrm{i}}/{\textrm{Z}_\textrm{i}}{{({\mathrm{\mu }/\mathrm{\rho }} )}_\textrm{i}}}}$$
where: fi is the mass fraction of element i & Zi is the atomic number of element i. The electron density (Nel) of a material is the number of electrons per gram of the material. It can be calculated using the following equation:
$${\textrm{N}_{\textrm{el}}} = \frac{{{\mathrm{\mu }_\textrm{m}}}}{{{\mathrm{\sigma }_\textrm{e}}}} = \frac{{{\textrm{Z}_{\textrm{eff}}}{\textrm{N}_\textrm{A}}\mathop \sum \nolimits_\textrm{i} {\textrm{n}_\textrm{i}}}}{\textrm{M}}$$
where: NA is Avogadro's number

The radiation protection efficiency (RPE) of a material can be calculated using the following formula:

$$\textrm{RPE} = \left( {1 - \frac{\textrm{I}}{{{\textrm{I}_0}}}} \right) \times 100$$
Where: I0 is the initial intensity of the radiation, I is the intensity of the radiation after it has passed through the material

Kerma (Ka) is a measure of the kinetic energy transferred per unit mass from indirect ionizing radiation to charged particles. It is an important factor to consider when developing shielding materials against gamma rays. The kerma for X/gamma-rays can be calculated using the following formula:

$${\textrm{K}_\textrm{a}} = \frac{{\mathrm{\Psi A}{\mathrm{\mu }_{\textrm{en}}}\textrm{dx}}}{{\mathrm{\rho Adx}}} = \mathrm{\;\ \Psi }\left( {\frac{{{\mathrm{\mu }_{\textrm{en}}}}}{\mathrm{\rho }}} \right)$$
where: Ψ is the flux of mono-energetic photons and (µen/ρ) is the mass energy transfer factor. The mass energy transfer factor can be obtained from ENDF/B-V, which is a nuclear data library supplied by Brookhaven National Laboratory.

4. Results and discussion

4.1 Formation and structural properties of nickel ferrite

XRD analysis was used to evaluate the purity and formation phase of the material under investigation, followed by an examination of its various structural characteristics. This sample's XRD pattern was shown in Fig. 2. The sample that was produced encounters all its X-ray diffraction peaks indexed as (111), (220), (311), (222), (400), (224), (511), (440), and (533) crystal planes at 2θ = 18.42o, 30.14o, 35.67o, 37.15o, 43.36o, 53.91o, 57.32o, 62.97o, and 74.55o, which correspond to cubic spinel NiFe2O4 crystallites with Fd3 m space group (PDF: 44-1485).

 figure: Fig. 2.

Fig. 2. XRD pattern of the prepared sample.

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The majority of the data regarding the structural characteristics of NiFe2O4 under study had to be completed by calculating a number of variables that rely on the XRD results. Among these specifications were the following: (i) the crystallite size (d), lattice constant (a), unit cell volume (V), X-ray density (Dx), microstrain (ε) and dislocation density (δ). (ii) The distance between the magnetic ions (LA and LB), ionic radii (rA and rB), and bond lengths (A-O and B-O) on tetrahedral (A) sites and octahedral (B) sites. All of the computed values for these parameters based on XRD data were presented in Table 1. The prepared sample's expanding XRD peaks may be related to the creation of an intrinsic microstrain and a reduction in crystallite size. The dislocations and defects in the crystal caused variations in the lattice parameter, which subsequently formed the microstrain.

Tables Icon

Table 1. Structural properties of NiFe2O4 NPs

In our previous work, we have indicated the mechanism of formation of nickel ferrite, which stated the following [25]:

At the Fe2O3 interfaces:

$$3F{e_2}{O_3} + \; N{i^{2 + }} \to 2NiF{e_2}{O_4} + 2F{e^{2 + }} + 0.5{O_2}$$

At the NiO interfaces:

$$2F{e^{2 + \textrm{\; }}} + 3NiO + 0.5{O_2}\; \to NiF{e_2}{O_4} + \; N{i^{2 + }}$$

For the overall reaction:

$$2F{e^{2 + }} + 3NiO + 0.5\; {O_2}\; \to NiF{e_2}{O_4} + \; N{i^{2 + }}$$

Based on both the literatures and our previous work, the formation of nickel ferrite depends on the solid state reaction between reacting oxides of nickel and iron. This interaction also depends on the mobility of the interacting particles and the contact surface area between them. In this study, we find that after good mixing of glycine, and nitrates of both nickel and iron, then heating at low temperatures, we obtain the sol and then the gel consisting of a complex of metal and glycine. After the temperature rises up to 300 °C, nanoscale oxides are formed, which quickly begin to interact with each other. At the beginning of the reaction, a thin layer of nickel ferrite forms surrounding the unreacted oxides (NiO and Fe2O3), which acts as a barrier that prevents the interaction between these oxides. However, as the temperature continues to rise with the presence of glycine, the mobility of these oxides across this barrier increases, which leads to an increase in the amount of ferrite produced. With the spontaneous combustion method based on glycine and heating at 300 °C for 15 min, great energy is released that leads to the completion of the reaction, leading to the complete transformation of unreacted oxides into the desired nickel ferrite.

4.2 FTIR analysis

In the spinel form, the cation distribution of iron and nickel ions between tetrahedral (A-) and octahedral (B-) sites indicates that nickel ferrites are of the inverse spinel type [13]. Inverse spinel nickel ferrites form when Fe cations can be distributed between the A and B sites, but Ni cations prefer the B-site [25]. Depending on the different preparation methods and the different factors they include, some nickel ions may be occupied the A-site yielding partially inverse spinel or random spinel nickel ferrite [13,39]. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis sheds light on the cation distribution of cubic spinel structure. FTIR analysis of this structure often shows two basic vibration mods ($\upsilon _{1\,}{\rm and}\upsilon _2$) around 600 cm-1 and 400 cm-1 related to the distribution of cations at tetrahedral (A-) and octahedral (B-) sites, respectively [38]. Figure 3 depicts FTIR spectra of the as synthesized sample consisted of different absorption bands at 441, 593, 725, 825, 885, 1046, 1386. 1637, 2925, 2975 and 3433 cm-1.

 figure: Fig. 3.

Fig. 3. FTIR spectrum of the prepared sample.

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The examined sample's two principal absorption bands ($\upsilon _{1\,}{\rm and}\upsilon _2$) were found at 593 and 441 cm-1, which is in line with Waldron's result and validates the creation of a spinel-type structure [37]. These bands are part of the stretching vibrations of the metal-oxygen (M-O) bond. Ni cations prefer the B-site while Fe cations can be distributed between the A and B sites according to the inverse spinel structure of Ni ferrite [13,25,36]. In addition, two high-frequency shoulders at 825 and 725 cm-1 were observed indicating the vibration of divalent Ni cations. Waldron's research, which suggested that there might be low- and high-frequency shoulders surrounding the two basic vibration modes of ferrites, is likewise in line with this [37,38]. However, the small band at 885 cm-1 could be attributed to Ni-O bond stretching vibration at A-site. These finding enabled us to speculate the cations distribution of the investigated sample using the following formula:

$$\left( {Ni_x^{2 + } Fe^{3 + }} \right)tet\left[ {Ni_{1-x}^{2 + } Fe^{3 + }} \right]_{{\rm oct}}{\rm O}_4$$

This equation indicates that the studied sample consisted of for the partially inverse spinel NiFe2O4 lattice [13]. Moreover, the bands located at 3433 cm−1 and 1637 cm−1 may be due to the stretching and bending vibrations of the hydroxyl groups (O-H), which present in the adsorbed water molecules adsorbed on the sample’ surface. Adsorption of water molecules on the surface of sample is due to the blending of this specimen with KBr medium [13]. Conversely, if there is a carbon trace left behind from the auto combustion of glycine, the bands at 1046, 1386, 2975, and 2925 cm−1 may be related to the stretching vibrations of hydrogen and hydroxyl carbon (C-H and C-O-H). [13,25,36].

4.3 TEM analysis

Transmission electron microscopy, TEM, technique was used to study the microstructure of the investigated sample. Figure 4 a-d displays TEM, high resolution (RT)-TEM and Fast Fourier transform (FFT). The microstructural analysis of the prepared sample shows different rods containing various particles with some agglomerations inside different rods as shown in Fig. 4(a) and (b). The average particle size was found to be 25-30 nm, which consistent with the XRD result. At Fig. 4(c), the HR-TEM image displays presence of cubic type structure with the appearance of grain boundaries. Moreover, FFT image reports to the interplanar spacing between adjacent planes which was 0.25 nm and corresponds to (311) lattice plane of NiFe2O4 crystallites as shown in Fig. 4(d)

 figure: Fig. 4.

Fig. 4. TEM images (a and b); HR-TEM image (c); and FFT image (d); of the prepared sample.

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4.4. Magnetic properties

Table 2 presents the values of the examined material's coercive field (Hc), saturation magnetization (Ms), squareness (Mr/Ms), remanent magnetization (Mr), and anisotropy constant (Ka). The magnetic curve created in Fig. 5 was used to extrapolate these numbers, which represent the magnetic characteristics. Using the VSM technique at ambient temperature and an applied magnetic field ranging from -20,000 to +20,000 G, this curve was determined.

 figure: Fig. 5.

Fig. 5. Magnetization curves for the prepared sample.

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Tables Icon

Table 2. Magnetic properties of NiFe2O4 NPs

The magnetic properties of ferrite based Nano particles depend entirely on the change of cation distribution which can be tuned by the preparation method, doping, microstructures, textural and lattice parameters. Moreover, the magnetization of different spinel ferrites come from variation of the magnetic moments of the ions between and at two sub lattices (A- and B-sites). Stated differently, the Neel model can account for magnetization (Ms) if A-B exchange interactions predominate over A-A and B-B super exchange ion interactions. Moreover, ferromagnetic behavior of Ni ferrite nanoparticles is frequently revealed by the “S” shaped hysteresis loop [25,36]. Furthermore, it has been observed that the spinel lattice's net magnetic moment is equivalent to the difference between the magnetic moments of the A- and B-sites [25,36]. On the other hands, the Hc value depends on numerous factors such as morphology, magneto crystalline anisotropy, size distributions, and the exchange coupling. In this study, the moderate coercivity is a result of the change in the magnetic anisotropic constant, which can be due to higher magneto anisotropy of Ni2 + ions [25,36]. The spinel ferrite system's A-site Jahn-Teller distortions brought on by Ni2 + ions explained this behavior, which was more apparent. Because the squareness ratio (Mr/Ms) of the studied ferrite is less than “0.5,” uniaxial anisotropy rather than cubic anisotropy is present. Furthermore, the canted spin on the nanoparticle surface indicated surface spin disorder effects, which were indicated by the modest squareness values. Therefore, the nickel ferrite is highly encouraged to be used in high-frequency applications by the lower value of this ratio [25,36].

4.5 Radiation shielding features

The mass attenuation coefficient (µ/ρ) of the NiFe2O4 sample, assessed as a function of photon energy, is displayed in Fig. 6. Three primary photon interactions—the photoelectric effect, Compton scattering, and pair production—affect the µ/ρ values as photon energy changes. In the low energy range (0.1-0.15 MeV), the photoelectric effect predominates and causes a sharp fall in µ/ρ values. Compton scattering predominates in the intermediate energy range (0.05–5 MeV), which causes a slight decrease in µ/ρ values. µ/ρ values develop slowly due to pair creation in the high energy region (1.022–15 MeV).

 figure: Fig. 6.

Fig. 6. Evaluated radiation mass attenuation coefficients as a function of photon energy for the present sample using MCNPX code.

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The prepared sample's HVL values are displayed in Fig. 7 as a function of photon energy, with a range of 0.0027 to 4.31 cm. As photon energy increases, so do the HVL values. This behavior can be expressed in the same manner as the µm explanation that came before it. This indicates that, depending on the photon energy, the prepared sample can absorb 50% of the incident gamma radiation at a thickness of 0.0027 to 4.31 cm.

 figure: Fig. 7.

Fig. 7. Variation of HVL values for the prepared sample as a function of photon energy.

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To check if the current sample can be used as radiation shielding material, the HVL of the current sample were compared with other common radiation shielding materials (Ordinary concretes, Basalt magnetite, Hematite Serpentine, and Ilmenite limonite), and various studied shielding materials (P2 Polymer Guanine, T1, PCNK60, VR3 volcanic rock, SLGC-E5, LBZ4, RS-360, BBSN5.7, and TZE-F) [1] along with three ferrites called CaFe2O4 [39], CuFe2O4 [39], and MgFe2O4 [39] at various photon energies as shown in Fig. 8. According to Fig. 8, the current sample has the lowest HVL value regarding to other common shielding materials and recently studied materials. This could be attributed to a significantly higher density (5.7085 g/cm3) and mass attenuation coefficient (µ/ρ) values of the investigated sample. This means that the prepared sample is a promising candidate for use as a radiation shielding material.

Figure 9(a) and (b) shows the Zeff and Nel of the studied sample at photon energies between 0.015 to 15 MeV, respectively. The trends of Zeff and Nel are virtually identical because Nel is proportional to Zeff. Figure 9 shows that the Zeff and Nel values of the studied sample remain constant at photon energies between 0.4 and 3 MeV. At lower energies (0.015-0.4 MeV) and higher energies (3-15 MeV), there are transition areas. This behavior can be explained by the different types of photon interactions that occur at different energies. At low energies, the photoelectric effect is the dominant interaction mechanism. The probability of the photoelectric effect increases with increasing atomic number of the absorbing material. At intermediate energies, Compton scattering is the dominant interaction mechanism. The probability of Compton scattering decreases slowly with increasing photon energy. At high energies, pair production is the dominant interaction mechanism. The probability of pair production increases with increasing photon energy. The Zeff values of the studied sample ranging from 16.05 to 26.08 while Nel values ranging from 2.89 x10^23 to 4.70 x10^23 electrons/g.

 figure: Fig. 8.

Fig. 8. Comparison of HVL values of the present sample with some common shielding materials at different photon energies.

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 figure: Fig. 9.

Fig. 9. Variation of (a)- Zeff and (b)- Nel with photon energy for the prepared sample.

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Figure 10(a) shows the RPE of the studied sample as a function of photon energy for a thickness of 2 cm. This shows that the prepared sample provides full protection (100%) for X-ray photons with energies ranging from 30 to 100 keV. This means that the prepared sample is recommended for use as a radiation protection material for X-ray applications, such as medical diagnostics. Figure 10(b) shows the RPE of the current sample as a function of sample thickness at photon energy 1.33 MeV. This displays that the RPE increases with increasing sample thickness. This is because the radiation has to travel through more material to be attenuated.

 figure: Fig. 10.

Fig. 10. Variation of the evaluated RPE values for the studied sample with a)- photon energy and b)- sample thickness E = 1.33 MeV.

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Figure 11 shows the kerma relative to air of the current sample as a function of photon energy. The kerma values increase with increasing photon energy up to about 450 keV. Be-tween 60 keV and 500 keV, there is a considerable reduction in kerma values. Kerma is largely steady between 500 keV and 3 MeV, and then it increases steadily with increasing photon energy. This is because pair production is more prevalent in the high-energy region, and pair production is roughly proportional to Z2 (where Z is the atomic number).

 figure: Fig. 11.

Fig. 11. Change of ka of the current samples in relation to gamma-ray energy.

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5. Conclusions

This study looked into the preparation, characterization, and nuclear shielding abilities of spinel nickel ferrite. The following key conclusions can be made based on the structural, magnetic and radiation shielding inspection.

  • 1. The preparation method used with the help of glycine succeeded in obtaining nanosized nickel ferrite in their cubic spinel type structure. The FTIR result also confirmed the formation of the spinel nickel spinel ferrite based on the appearance of the fundamental absorption bands of spinel ferrite at 441and 593 cm-1.
  • 2. The prepared sample possessed ferromagnetic behavior with Ms, Mr, Hc and Ka having the values of 26.58 emu/g, 8.03 emu/g, 212.79 Oe and 5771.39 erg/cm3, respectively.

The prepared sample demonstrated complete attenuation (100%) in the photon energy range of 15–120 keV (X-ray radiation) in terms of radiation shielding performance. This suggests that the investigated sample can be utilized as an efficient protective material for X-ray applications. In comparison to other typical gamma-ray shielding materials, the prepared sample exhibited marginally superior gamma-ray shielding performance. The lowest HVL values ranged from of 0.0027 to 4.31 cm, while the maximum Zeff value was 26.08 at 0.015 KeV. Consequently, the prepared sample is a great option for applications involving radiation shielding, such as nuclear waste storage, personal protection in medical radiation facilities, and nuclear security.

Funding

Researchers Supporting Project number (RSP2024R468), King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Acknowledgments

This work is supported by Researchers Supporting Project number (RSP2024R468), King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Author Contributions. “Conceptualization, (O.H). And (M.N).; methodology, (A.S).; software, (S.A).; validation, (O.H), (MO). And (A.S).; formal analysis, (O.H).; investigation, (MN).; resources, (O.H).; data curation, (A.S).; writing—original draft preparation, (O.H), (MN) and (A.S).; writing—review and editing, (O.H) and (MN).; visualization, (O.H), (MN) and (AS).; supervision, (O.H); project administration, (O.H); funding acquisition, (O.H). All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Institutional Review Board Statement. Not applicable.

Informed Consent Statement. Not applicable.

Disclosures

There is no conflict of interest to declare.

Data availability

The data presented in this study are available on request from the corresponding author.

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Data availability

The data presented in this study are available on request from the corresponding author.

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Figures (11)

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1. Simulation setup of gamma-ray mass attenuation coefficient from MCNPX Visual Editor.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2. XRD pattern of the prepared sample.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 3. FTIR spectrum of the prepared sample.
Fig. 4.
Fig. 4. TEM images (a and b); HR-TEM image (c); and FFT image (d); of the prepared sample.
Fig. 5.
Fig. 5. Magnetization curves for the prepared sample.
Fig. 6.
Fig. 6. Evaluated radiation mass attenuation coefficients as a function of photon energy for the present sample using MCNPX code.
Fig. 7.
Fig. 7. Variation of HVL values for the prepared sample as a function of photon energy.
Fig. 8.
Fig. 8. Comparison of HVL values of the present sample with some common shielding materials at different photon energies.
Fig. 9.
Fig. 9. Variation of (a)- Zeff and (b)- Nel with photon energy for the prepared sample.
Fig. 10.
Fig. 10. Variation of the evaluated RPE values for the studied sample with a)- photon energy and b)- sample thickness E = 1.33 MeV.
Fig. 11.
Fig. 11. Change of ka of the current samples in relation to gamma-ray energy.

Tables (2)

Tables Icon

Table 1. Structural properties of NiFe2O4 NPs

Tables Icon

Table 2. Magnetic properties of NiFe2O4 NPs

Equations (19)

Equations on this page are rendered with MathJax. Learn more.

d = B λ / B λ β cos θ β cos θ
δ = 1 / 1 d 2 d 2
ε = β cos θ / β cos θ 4 4
D x = 8 M w / 8 M w N a 3 N a 3
L A = ( 3 / 3 4 4 ) a
L B = ( 2 / 2 4 4 ) a
r A = ( u 1 / 1 4 4 ) a 3 r ( O 2 )
r B = ( 5 / 5 8 8 u ) a r ( O 2 )
A O = ( u 1 / 1 4 4 ) a 3
B O = ( 5 / 5 8 8 u ) a
H V L = ( ln 2 / 2 μ μ )
Z eff = σ t , a σ t , el = i n i A i ( μ / ρ ) i i n i A i / Z i ( μ / ρ ) i
N el = μ m σ e = Z eff N A i n i M
RPE = ( 1 I I 0 ) × 100
K a = Ψ A μ en dx ρ A d x =   Ψ ( μ en ρ )
3 F e 2 O 3 + N i 2 + 2 N i F e 2 O 4 + 2 F e 2 + + 0.5 O 2
2 F e 2 + \;  + 3 N i O + 0.5 O 2 N i F e 2 O 4 + N i 2 +
2 F e 2 + + 3 N i O + 0.5 O 2 N i F e 2 O 4 + N i 2 +
( N i x 2 + F e 3 + ) t e t [ N i 1 x 2 + F e 3 + ] o c t O 4
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