Effects of sintering temperature and Bi2O3 content on microstructure and magnetic properties of LiZn ferrites

The effects of sintering temperature and Bi2O3 content on the microstructure and magnetic properties of lithium–zinc (LiZn) ferrites prepared by a conventional ceramic method were investigated. The results show that the densification behavior and grain growth rate were greatly improved by the addition of Bi2O3, because a liquid phase sintering occurred during the sintering process at high temperature due to the low-melting point of Bi2O3 (825 °C). X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of the slightly doped samples did not reveal the appearance of any phase other than spinel LiZn ferrite. However, the secondary phase of perovskite BiFeO3 was detected for Bi2O3 content of more than 0.25 wt%. The studies further show that Bi oxide was present at grain boundary, and promoted the grain growth as reaction center at lower temperature. A high saturation magnetization, squareness ratio, minimum ferromagnetic resonance linewidth and low coercive force were obtained for the sample with 1.00 wt% Bi2O additive at lower sintering temperature (1100 °C).