Structural, mechanical, optical, and electric properties of Mg-doped NiCoZn ferrite
摘要
In the last decade, tailored spinel ferrite nanoparticles have made a revolution in the magnetic and electrical industry. For this reason, this research aimed to study the influence of Mg2+ doping on the structural, morphological, optical, magnetic, and electrical properties of Ni-Zn-Co spinel ferrite nanoparticles. The fabrication of Ni0.33Zn0.33Co0.33−xMgxFe2O4 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.2) nanoparticles was carried out using the eco-friendly chemical co-precipitation technique. The cubic spinel phase was determined using the X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The crystallite size determined by the Scherrer equation showed a decrease in the crystallite size from 13.721 to 10.053 nm as x increases from 0 to 0.2. The morphological studies of the synthesized nanoparticles were assessed through the transmission electron microscope (TEM) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED), revealing crystallinity, agglomeration, and particle size distribution. The X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) analyzed the cation distribution shift as the doping concentration increases. The vibrational bond and lattice distortions were examined through the Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy. Five Raman deconvolution peaks were observed around 180 cm− 1 (T2g(1)), 300 cm− 1 (Eg), 470 cm− 1 (T2g(2)), 610 cm− 1 (T2g(3)), and 680 cm− 1 (A1g), with a blue shift detected as Mg doping increases. The UV-vis spectra reported a rise in the bandgap energy (2.75 to 3.07 eV) with the increase of Mg2+ doping, likely due to the quantum confinement effect. The magnetic parameters and hysteresis loop were demonstrated through the VSM measurements. The results showed a ferrimagnetic behavior with a decrease in the saturation magnetization and coercivity with Mg2+ doping. Furthermore, the two-probe measurements were collected for the electrical parameters analysis, confirming an inverse relation between the conductivity and the Mg2+ doping in the ferrite nanoparticles. Hence, the synthesized nanoparticles are found to be suitable for magnetic and high-frequency applications.