Physiochemical structure, optical, and magnetic features of Ba-doped nickel ferrite nanoparticles
摘要
Barium-doped Nickel Ferrite nanoparticles (Ni1−xBaxFe2O4) (0.0 ≤ X ≤ 0.3) were prepared using the facile and eco-friendly solution combustion process and using urea as a reduction agent. The produced nanoparticles are investigated at different concentrations of Ba doping using thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG–DTA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX), ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis), as well as Vibrating Sample Magnetometry (VSM). All of the thermographs showed the combustion response at temperatures below 300 °C. The doping of nickel ferrite with various Ba contents significantly modifies the physicochemical, optical, and magnetic properties. The reduction of the crystalline sizes, from 31 to 10 nm, was attributed to the variation in the included ions’ radii due to the increase in Ba substitution. Furthermore, because of the minuscule size regime, the quantum confinement effect can be responsible for the associated shift in a modest broadening of the direct as well as indirect band gap (3.38 to 3.92 and 2.9 to 3.4 eV respectively) corresponding to the decrease of the crystalline sizes. The decreasing manner of the magnetic parameters, such as saturation magnetization (26.5 to 8.5 emu/g) and Coercivity (139 to 109 Oe), can be because of reduction of the magnetic domains and particle size, and the replacement of the magnetic Ni ions with nonmagnetic Ba ions. The manner of all physical features and findings in front of the synthesized NPs verified that they were soft ferrites and optically active. The produced NPs are regarded as potential materials that can be used in nonlinear optical applications and memory recording.