Magnetic properties of rGO/Fe₃O₄ microparticles composites based on natural materials

rGO/Fe₃O₄ microparticles composites from Petung bamboo and Lumajang iron sand has been synthesized. The rGO was synthesized from Petung bamboo charcoal through a carbonization method, while Fe₃O₄ was synthesized from Lumajang iron sand by magnetic separation method. Phase analysis using XRD on iron sand showed the formation of a single phase Fe₃O₄ (magnetite), while testing on Petung bamboo showed the formation of the rGO phase with an amorphous structure which had two peaks at 2θ 22.93° and 42.98°. The testing of magnetic properties using VSM showed Fe₃O₄ had saturation magnetization value (Ms) of 49.1762 emu/g, remanent magnetization (Mr) of 9.1067 emu/g and coercivity (Hc) of 0.0138 T. rGO/Fe₃O₄ composite (1:3) has saturation magnetization value (Ms) of 38.6050 emu/g, remanent magnetization (Mr) of 4.3367 emu/g and coercivity (Hc) of 0.0136 T. rGO/Fe₃O₄ (1:2) composite has saturation magnetization value (Ms) of 32.6734 emu/g, remanent magnetization (Mr) of 3.3142 emu/g and coercivity (Hc) of 0.0137 T. And rGO/Fe₃O₄ (1:1) composite has saturation magnetization value (Ms) of 25.8325 emu/g, remanent magnetization (Mr) of 2.6232 emu/g and coercivity (Hc) of 0.0133 T. In this study, magnetic materials can be classified into soft magnets because it has a small coercivity (Hc).