Magnetic Mn substituted cobalt zinc ferrite systems: Structural, electrical and magnetic properties and their role in photo-catalytic degradation of methyl orange azo dye

The present work focuses on the effect of replacement of Fe3+ ions by the Mn3+ ions in cobalt zinc ferrites (Co0.6Zn0.4MnxFe2−xO4 (0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0) on the structural, magnetic, electrical and catalytic properties. Powder X-ray diffraction studies confirmed that all the samples possessed cubic spinel structure with Fd-3m space groups. The saturation magnetization was found to decrease with increase in Mn3+ ions concentration. The drift mobility of all compositions was found to decrease with increase in temperature which could be attributed to the semiconductor nature of nanoferrites. The photo-catalytic activity of all the nanoferrites was evaluated by the degradation of methyl orange dye and it was observed that the degradation of methyl orange dye was enhanced with increase in Mn3+ ions concentration from 0.2 to 1.0. This might be due to the octahedral site preference and higher redox potential of manganese ion as compared those of iron.