Magneto-structural properties of PbFe12O19 hexaferrite powders prepared by decomposition of hydroxide-carbonate and metal-organic precipitates

PbFe12O19 powders were obtained by thermal decomposition of hydroxide-carbonate coprecipitated salts and metal-organic precursors at 920°C. Significant microstructural differences have been found between both specimens. The MOD powder comprised submicronic particles of remarkably high coercivity (5 kOe), and the magnetization mechanism was dominated by coherent rotation. In contrast, the coercivity for chemically coprecipitated powders was very poor (1.6 kOe), when compared with Ba- and Sr-compounds prepared following the same method, a behavior associated with excessive grain growth. Cell parameters, microstructure, Curie temperature, hysteretic properties, anisotropy field and the saturation magnetization as a function of the temperature in the interval 77-300 K are reported.