Effect of Co2+ and Y3+ ions insertion on the microstructure development and magnetic properties of Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 powders synthesized using Co-precipitation method

Nanocrystalline Ni0.5Zn0.5−xCoxFe2−zYzO4 powders (x=0-0.3 and z from 0 to 0.3) have been synthesized via a facile co-precipitation technique. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) are utilized in order to study the effect of variation of cobalt and yttrium substitutions and its impact on crystalline size, lattice parameter, X-ray density, microstructure and magnetic properties of the formed powders. X-ray diffraction data indicated that, after doping, all samples consisted of the main spinel phase for the formed precursors precipitated at pH 10 annealed at 1000 oC for 2 h. The lattice parameter and the unit cell were decreased linearly with increasing Co content whereas they were increased with increasing the Y incorporation. Additionally, the porosity was increased with increasing Co concentration while it was decreased with increasing the Y insertion. The mean ionic radii and hopping and bond lengths was decreased with the value of Co2+ and they were increased with the value of Y3+ ion as well as both of Y3+ and Co2+ ions. The microstructures of the produced powders were found to be cubic like structure. The addition of Y3+ ion suppressed the grain size whereas addition of Co2+ ion enhanced the grain growth availably. An examination of the magnetic properties revealed an increase in saturation magnetization with increasing Co and Y concentrations incorporation up to x=0.3. Meanwhile, the formed powders exhibited superparamagnetic characteristics. A high saturation magnetization (77.0 emu/g) was achieved for Ni0.5Zn0.2Co0.3Fe2O4 sample annealed at 1000 oC for 2 h.