Structural, magnetic and microwave absorption properties of SrFe12O19/Ni0.6Zn0.4Fe2O4 composites prepared by one-pot solution combustion method

SrFe12O19/Ni0.6Zn0.4Fe2O4 composites were synthesized by one-pot solution combustion method. The effects of NiZn ferrite content on phase, structure, microstructure and magnetic properties of composites were investigated by X-ray diffractometry, infrared spectroscopy, electron microscopy and vibrating sample magnetometry techniques. Strontium hexaferrite and NiZn ferrite phases were well crystallized following calcination at 900 °C without any impurities being formed. The composites were composed of platelet-like SrFe12O19 particles being mixed with quasi-spherical NiZn ferrite particles. The composites containing 10 wt% Ni0.6Zn0.4Fe2O4 exhibited a single magnetization curve with maximum saturation magnetization of 56 emu/g, as a confirmation of exchange coupling, while other composites had “bee waist” type hysteresis loop. The coercivity of composites decreased from 5143 to 1778 Oe with addition of NiZn ferrite phase. The microwave absorption measurements in X-band (8-12 GHz) showed a maximum absorption of −23.5 dB at 9.9 GHz for SrFe12O19-10 wt% Ni0.6Zn0.4Fe2O4 composite in comparison with the other composites.