Effect of zinc substitution on structural and elastic properties of cobalt ferrite

Polycrystalline ferrites with general formula Co1−xZnxFe2O4 (x = 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, and 1.0) were prepared by solid-state reaction technique. The structure and morphology of obtained products were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) techniques. The analysis of XRD pattern revealed the formation of single-phase cubic spinel structure. Lattice constant increases with increase in zinc content, obeying Vegard's law. Elastic properties such as longitudinal velocity (Vl), transverse velocities (Vt), Poisson's ratio (σ) and Debye temperature (θD) have been studied. In the present work the elastic properties decreases with zinc composition x whereas Poisson's ratios almost remain constant. Debye temperature calculated from elastic data decreases with Zn substitution. A probable explanation has been proposed to explain the effect of zinc substitution on structural and elastic properties of cobalt ferrite.