Li doping induced physico-chemical modulations in Cd ferrite (CdLixFe(2−x)O4−x) synthesized using aqueous ammonia assisted co-precipitation route

•Mono phasic, nanocrystalline, magnetic ferrites obtained using wet chemical route.•Modulations in microstructural properties of Cd ferrite observed with variation of Li ion concentrations (x).•A steady decrease in particle sizes and increase in magnetic parameters observed.

Ammonium hydroxide as a co-precipitating agent has been used in nanofabrication of pure and Li doped Cd ferrites (CdLixFe(2−x)O(4−x);x = 0.0-0.5) using wet chemical route. Various spectroscopic investigations viz. simultaneous thermal analysis (STA), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared (FT-IR), elemental analysis (ICAP), electron microscopy (SEM, TEM), magnetic measurements (VSM) and Mӧssbauer technique have been employed to ascertain the modulations in structural, magnetic and other microstructural parameters of as-obtained ferrite, thus, establish the formation of single phasic, nanocrystalline, magnetically ordered alloys with novel physico-chemical properties. An increase in Li+ concentration from x = 0.0 to 0.3 inculcates a reduction in the particle size thereby improving electro-magnetic parameters of the doped ferrites. Overall, concentration of the dopant along with the chemical method employed for the synthesis control the size of as-obtained particles and site status within the ferrite lattice structure.

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