Ce3+ incorporated structural and magnetic properties of M type barium hexaferrites

•Ce3+ substituted Ba hexaferrites.•Increased coercivity with Ce3+ substitution.•Decrease in saturation magnetization and Curie temperature.

M type barium hexaferrites BaCexFe12−xO19 (0≤x≤0.3) (BCFO) were synthesized by the sol–gel auto combination method. Optimum annealing temperature of hexagonal phase was determined by using the TGA analysis. The annealing temperature form the TGA is 1000 °C samples annealed 1000 °C for 5 h to produce M type hexaferrites. X-ray diffraction data run to full Prof Program (Winploter 2010) pattern indicate that samples are single phase hexagonal structure with space group P63/mmc. Lattice parameter ‘a’ and ‘c’ increase with increase in Ce content x. Results of field emission scanning electron microscope show that the grains are regular hexagonal platelets with sizes from 0.3 to 1.4 μm. It is observed that from M–H curve value of the saturation magnetization and coercivity decreases with increasing x. Curie temperature from magnetization with temperature plot is found to decrease with Ce3+ substitution x due to decreases in magnetic interaction.