X-ray characterization of nanocrystalline Ni₃Fe

Abstract

X-ray microstructure characterization of nanocrystalline Ni₃Fe was made employing Rietveld's powder structure refinement method, the Warren-Averbach's method and modified Williamson-Hall method. Ni₃Fe particles were synthesized within a silica matrix by a sol-gel method. Particle size (10-15) nm and r.m.s. strain (~10^-3) values of Ni₃Fe were found to be anisotropic in nature. Stacking faults, change in lattice parameter, dislocation density (edge type) values indicate the amount of disordering in the Ni₃Fe phase. Lattice distortion in terms of several microstructural parameters also corroborates the results obtained from Mossbauer spectra analysis. Other associated co-developed phases like, crystalline SiO₂, Fe₂SiO₄ (trace amount) have been identified and NiO has been characterized by X-ray powder diffraction. A significant correlation between these two different types of characterization has been shown to be present.