Structural, infrared, magnetic and microwave absorption properties of rare earth doped X-type hexagonal nanoferrites

• A series of X-type hexagonal ferrites were prepared by sol–gel method.
• The XRD analysis showed that the X-type hexagonal structure.
• The c/a ratio of these samples falls in the range of X-type hexagonal ferrites.
• The magnetic properties enhances with the increase of Nd–Co contents.
• The samples show the reflection loss at smaller frequencies.

A series of Sr2−xNdxNi2 Fe28−yCoyO46 (x = 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08, 0.10 and y = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5) X-type hexagonal ferrites has been prepared by sol–gel method at 1250 °C for 6 h. XRD analysis shows the single phase of the prepared ferrites material. The lattice constant values and c/a ratio shows that the present assembled material belongs to the family X-type hexagonal ferrites. The peaks in the FTIR spectra are the characteristics of the hexagonal ferrites. The crystallite size measured by Scherer formula is in good agreement with the crystallite size measured by TEM and HRTEM. The enhancement in the magnetic properties can easily be observed with the doping of rare earth element Nd3+ and divalent Co2+. Due to high saturation and low coercivity values the present material can be good microwave absorber. The temperature dependent saturation and remanance magnetization decreases monotonically with temperature. The minimum value of reflection loss enhances with the substituent and the attenuation constant results are in agreement with reflection loss results.