Size effects in antiferromagnetic NiO nanoparticles

X-ray and neutron diffraction as well as magnetometric methods were used in order to investigate crystal and magnetic structure together with magnetic properties of nickel oxide NiO obtained from thermal decomposition of Ni(OH)₂. It has been found that crystal unit cell volume and crystal unit cell deformation parameter decrease with increasing decomposition temperature T_{d} while grain size increases. The results of magnetization, magnetic susceptibility and neutron diffraction measurements reveal a formation of antiferromagnetic order with uncompensated magnetic moment below the Néel temperature. Magnetization together with coercive field decreases with increasing T_{d}. The neutron diffractogram of sample obtained at 240°C indicates broadening of both the peaks of nuclear and magnetic origin. The magnetic ordering may be described by a propagation vector k=[½,½,½].