Influence of structural ordering on electrical conductivity of nanostructured manganese zinc ferrite

In the present study, nanostructured manganese zinc ferrite of 11 nm grain size was synthesized by co-precipitation technique and subsequently suitably heat treated to obtain higher grain sizes. The plot of temperature dependence of dc conductivity shows the semiconducting nature of samples. The observed changes in the electrical conductivity have been attributed with the influence of structural ordering upon annealing. The observed decrease in conductivity when the grain size is increased from 11 to 69 nm upon annealing is clearly due to the structural ordering which is evident from FESEM.

► Nanostructured Mn–Zn has been successfully prepared by using co-precipitation method.
► Increase in structural improvement was proven by FESEM and BET techniques.
► Cation distribution change on annealing is the reason for decrease in conductivity.
► Short-range type of hopping mechanism exhibited in the Mn–Zn sample.