X-Ray diffraction and magnetization study of Ni0.5Cu0.3Zn0.2CrxFe2-xO4 ferrite nano particles synthesized by Sol-gel method

Abstract: Ni0.5Cu0.3Zn0.2CrxFe2-xO4 (x = 0.0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.0) nano particles have been designed by the sol-gel auto combustion method, using nitrates of the respective metal ions, and citric acid as the starting materials. The process takes only a few minutes to obtain as-received Cr-substituted Ni-Cu-Zn ferrite powders. The X-ray analysis showed that all the samples possess single-phase cubic spinel structure. The variation of lattice constant with Ni, Zn and Cr concentration deviates from Vegard's law. Lattice parameter, particle size found to decrease within creasing Cr3+ content, whereas specific surface area showed increasing trend with the Cr3+ substitution. Particle size is obtained in nanometer scale which is obtained from XRD data. The saturation magnetization σs and magneton number nB(µB) measured at 300 K using high field hysteresis loop technique. It is observed that saturation magnetization σs and magneton number nB(µB) decreases with increasing the composition of x. The significant canting exists on B site suggesting magnetic structure to be non-collinear.

Keywords: Sol-Gel method; XRD, Magnetization, Nano ferrite.