ELECTRODEPOSITION-ANODIZATION PREPARATION OF NANOCRYSTALLINE NICKEL FERRITE FILMS FROM AQUEOUS SULFATE SOLUTIONS: A MATERIAL FOR SENSING OF TOXIC HOUSEHOLD GASES AND HEALTH MONITORING

Nanocrystalline spinel nickel ferrite NiFe2O4 thin film has been studied and synthesized via the electrodeposition-anodization process. Electrodeposited NiFe2 alloys were obtained from aqueous sulphate bath. The formed alloys were electrochemically oxidized (anodized) in aqueous (1 M KOH) solution, at room temperature, to the corresponding hydroxides and annealed in air at 400 0C for 2 h. The parameters controlling of the electrodeposition of NiFe2 alloys such as the bath temperature, agitation and the current density were optimized. The crystal structure, crystal size and microstructure of the produced ferrites were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). XRD shows that NiFe2O4 had a spinel structure and. The crystallite size of NiFe2O4 phase was 16 nm. SEM micrograph of the formed ferrite particles shows that the distorted rectangular structure and semi square like morphology was noted.