Study of Copper-Iron Mixed Oxide with Cubic Spinel Structure, Synthesized by the Combustion Method

The interest in synthesis and study of properties of complex oxides is due to their wide use in various fields of materials science and catalysis. A copper-iron mixed oxide with cubic spinel structure was synthesized in the combustion mode with local initiation of a glycine nitrate precursor compacted into pellets. A new result was obtained about the positive influence exerted by addition of ammonia to the precursor, which led to a decrease in its combustion rate and to an increase in the content of the spinel from 34 to 80% without an additional stage of high-temperature calcination. The study determined (X-ray diffraction analysis, differentiating dissolution, ATR IR spectroscopy, including the near-IR spectral range) the stoichiometry of copper and iron in the copper ferrite phase and found the content of spinel in the combustion product. The effect of the reducing conditions in the combustion zone on characteristics of the product being formed was discussed.