Effect of ball milling times on phase formation of Mg_0.7Zn_0.3Fe₂O₄

Mg_0.7Zn_0.3Fe₂O₄ (MZF) powder was prepared by a solid-state mixed oxide using ball-milling technique. The phase identification of calcined powders was performed using X-ray diffraction technique (XRD). It has been found that MZF powders were successfully obtained for calcination conditions of 800 oC for milling times of 36 h, whereas milling times of 12 h, unreacted ZnO, Fe₂O₃ and MgO phases (2θ ~ 54, 57 and 63) are detected from the original mixture up to 900°C. By increasing the calcination temperature to 1000°C, a single phase of MZF is formed. Moreover, the microstructure of powder were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and showed that the particle in size from 58-1200 nm. While, XRD patterns were obtained average size of particle, calculation by Scherrer's equation, between 30.54 - 66.59 nm.