Zinc ferrite composite material with controllable morphology and its applications

ZnFe₂O₄ is an attractive material due to its unique properties and various applications. A large volume of works on the synthesis of ZnFe₂O₄ have been reported such as mechanochemical synthesis, co-precipitation method, sol-gel auto-combustion method, electrospinning method, hydrothermal/solvothermal method, and spray drying. The synthetic methodologies have significant influence on the properties, morphologies and structures of the ZnFe₂O₄. Moreover, with the Fe³⁺ and Zn²⁺ substituted by different metal ions, the properties of ZnFe₂O₄ can be altered. Besides, the zinc ferrite composites with controlled morphologies and structures have been investigated. Owing to the enhanced magnetic, electrical and catalytic properties of the zinc ferrite composites, extensive applications of zinc ferrite composites have been achieved. In this review, we summarized the synthetic methods as well as the modifications of the ZnFe₂O₄. The review also dealt with applications of the ZnFe₂O₄ and its composites in the fields of sensors, photocatalysis and lithium ion batteries, etc.