Investigation of structural, morphological and electromagnetic properties of Mg0.25Mn0.25Zn0.5−xSrxFe2O4 ferrites

Polycrystalline Mg0.25Mn0.25Zn0.5−xSrxFe2O4 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.20) ferrites were synthesized using the solid state reaction sintering at 1373 K and 1473 K for 4 h. The XRD patterns revealed the formation of single phase cubic spinel with Sr2FeO4 and SrFe12O19 as impurity phases. The decrement in the lattice parameter for Sr2+ substituted samples is attributed to the difference in ionic radii of cations. The crystallite size decreases with increase in Sr2+ content. Low frequency dielectric dispersion is attributed due to the Maxwell-Wagner interfacial polarization. The appearance of the peak in dielectric loss spectrum for x = 0.15 and 0.20 at 1373 K and x = 0.20 at 1473 K suggests the presence of relaxing dipoles. The loss peak shifts towards lower frequency side with Sr2+ content at 1373 K which is due to the strengthening of dipole-dipole interactions. The complex impedance spectra clearly revealed that the both grain and grain boundary effects on the electrical properties. A complex electric modulus spectrum indicates that a non-Debye type of conductivity relaxation exists. The saturation magnetization and remanence gradually decreases with Sr2+ substitution which may be due to the existence of non-magnetic phase in the space between the magnetic particles and the substitution of Zn2+ cation in Mg0.25Mn0.25Zn0.5Fe2O4 ferrite lattice by Sr2+ content. The permeability decreases significantly while the cut-off frequency increases with the Sr2+ content at 1373 K and decreases at 1473 K, obeying the Snoek's law. The decrease in permeability with Sr2+ content is attributed due to the decrease in magnetization because non-magnetic ions weaken the inter-site exchange interaction.