Structural, electrical and magnetic study of Nd–Ni substituted W-type Hexaferrite

• The simple method has been used to obtain the single hexagonal phase.
• The particles are found to be in hexagonal plate like shape.
• The saturation magnetization and remanence has been improved.
• The synthesized materials can be used for applications in recording media.

A series of Nd–Ni substituted W-type hexaferrites with composition Sr1−xNdxCo2NiyFe16−yO27 (where x=0.0, 0.025, 0.050, 0.075, 0.1 and y=0.0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1) has been prepared by the chemical co-precipitation method. The effect of rare earth Nd substitution at strontium site while Ni at iron site on microstructure, electrical and magnetic properties has been investigated. All the XRD patterns of the synthesized materials show single W-type hexagonal phase without any other intermediate phases. SEM images show that the particles are homogeneous and hexagonal platelet-like shape. DC electrical resistivity measurements were carried out in temperature range of 298–673 K showing metal-to-semiconductor transition when doped with Nd–Ni. The magnetic properties such as saturation magnetization, remanence, squareness ratio and coercivity were calculated from hysteresis loops and were observed to increase with the increase in Nd–Ni concentration up to a certain substitution level which is beneficial for high density recording media.