Initial permeability of Zn–Ni–Co ferrite

• Zn0.35Ni0.57Co0.03Fe2.05O4 was synthesized by a chemical combustion route.
• Crystalline size of sample increases with increasing sintering temperature.
• Temperature 1150 °C exhibits good crystal structure, fine grain size and improved initial permeability.
• The initial permeability was found to increase and loss factor decreased at high frequency.

Zn0.35Ni0.57Co0.03Fe2.05O4 ferrite was prepared by a chemical combustion route. The resulting precipitate was dried and sintered at 1050 °C and 1150 °C respectively. The X-ray diffraction pattern of composition Zn0.35Ni0.57Co0.03Fe2.05O4 confirmed the formation of single phase cubic spinel structure. The average crystallite size as well as grain size of Zn0.35Ni0.57Co0.03Fe2.05O4 increases with increasing sintering temperature. Initial permeability and loss tangent of the samples under investigation has been studied as the function of frequency and the sintering temperatures using a LCR-Q meter. It was found that the real part of initial permeability increases whereas loss factor of the ferrite decreases with increasing sintering temperature.