Synthesis and Magnetic Properties of Nano-Sized Zn0.6Cu0.4Cr0.5SmxFe1.5-xO4 via Soft Chemistry Route

A series of Sm-doped ZnCuCr ferrites with the formula Zn0.6Cu0.4Cr0.5SmxFe1.5-xO4 where x = 0.00 ∼ 0.08 in steps of 0.02 were prepared by a novel soft chemistry route (rheological phase reaction method) with metal nitrate and urea as starting materials. The structure, morphology and magnetic properties of the ferrite nanoparticles were investigated by using powder X-ray diffractometer (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The XRD analysis indicated that the as-prepared samples had the single-phase spinel in the range of x = 0.00 ∼ 0.06. TEM analysis revealed that the particle sizes of Zn0.6Cu0.4Cr0.5SmxFe1.5-xO4 were in the range of 40 ∼ 80 nm, and decreased with increasing of the Sm content. The hysteresis loops indicated that the saturation magnetization decreased gradually with increasing of the Sm content, while the coercivity was related to the microstructure of Sm-doped samples.