The effect of praseodymium on Cobalt-Zinc spinel ferrites

A series of Co0.6Zn0.4PrxFe2−xO4 (x=0.0, 0.025, 0.05, 0.075, 0.10) spinel ferrites was successfully synthesized by conventional ceramic technique. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) showed that along with spinel phase, secondary phase (PrFeO3) was appeared for composition with x≥0.075. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) of the samples showed inhomogeneous grain size distribution. Electrical measurements showed that the resistivity and activation energy increased with the praseodymium (Pr3+) substitution while dc resistivity decreased with the temperature, showing the semiconductor behavior of the synthesized samples. Remanence (Mr) and the saturation magnetization (Ms) showed decreasing trend while coercivity (Hc) increased with the substitution of Pr3+ into Co-Zn spinel ferrites. The anisotropic constant K1 exhibited similar behavior as Hc, showing their interdependence and it also showed that anisotropy enhanced with the substitution of praseodymium. The above-mentioned parameters suggested that the synthesized samples might be suited for the application of high density magnetic recording.