Structural and magnetic properties of ZnFe2-xInxO4 nanoparticles synthesized by solution combustion method

ZnFe2-xInxO4 (x = 0, 0.05, 0.1 and 0.15) nanoparticles have been prepared by solution combustion synthesis method. The effects of In3+ substitution on the cation distribution between tetrahedral and octahedral sites in the spinel structure, and on the magnetic properties were investigated by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, Mössbauer spectroscopy and vibrating sample magnetometer methods. The results showed that the indium preferentially occupied the tetrahedral sites and pushed Fe3+ cations to the octahedral sites. The magnetic measurements revealed that the saturation magnetization decreased from 11.8 to 2.2 emu/g, because of the reduction in total moments with the In3+ substitution and redistribution of cations between the tetrahedral and octahedral sites.