Resistivity-thermopower correlation derived temperature-dependent transport behaviour of MnxZn1−xFe2O4 nanoparticles

Ferrite material nanoparticles comprised of manganese and zinc were chemically synthesized by the co-precipitation method. The designated ferrite X-ray diffraction peaks and characteristic ferrite absorption bands in Fourier transform infrared absorption spectra confirmed the formation of a spinel structure. Determination of the full width at half maximum values of the X-ray diffraction peaks and the corresponding calculations using the Scherrer formula suggested the generation of nano-grains. Micrographs obtained using a transmission electron microscope confirmed the nano-scale dimensions of the particles. Deviations in the characteristic resistivity and thermopower values in response to ambient sample temperature variations were experimentally observed and used for correlation-derived temperature-dependent transport behaviour analysis. Samples with a concentration x = 0.8 and 1.0 showed high thermopower values at reasonably low temperatures with moderate specific resistance.