Iron oxide/PVA flexible magnetic tape engineered by microwave combustion and tape casting

Microwave-assisted combustion synthesis and tape casting were combined to produce an iron oxide/PVA flexible magnetic tape, and a systematic investigation of the structural and magnetic characteristics of the tape was performed. X-ray diffraction technique showed the presence of different phases of iron oxide inserted in the PVA matrix. Magnetization curves at selected temperatures revealed the ferrimagnetic behavior of the magnetite nanoparticles in the tape, as well as the temperature dependence of the magnetization disclosed a well-known structural change of the magnetite. Therefore, we verified that the flexible magnetic tape exhibits properties similar to those found in the literature for powders, ferrofluids, and hydrogels with the same composition. The results suggest the iron oxide/PVA flexible magnetic tape as an attractive candidate for applications in biomedicine and biosensors, in addition to recording media.