Effect of Ce-substitution on structural, morphological, magnetic and DC electrical resistivity of Co-ferrite materials

• Published in: Physica. B, Condensed matter Condensed matter, 2018-02, Vol.531, p.164-170
• Main Authors: Mammo, Tulu Wegayehu, Murali, N., Sileshi, Yonatan Mulushoa, Arunamani, T.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Annealing; Citric acid; CoFe2O4; DC resistivity; Distilled water; Electrical resistivity; Ferrites; FESEM; Field emission microscopy; Fluidized bed combustion; Fourier transforms; Lattice parameters; Magnetic properties; Mathematical analysis; Metal nitrates; Microstructure; Nitrates; Scanning electron microscopy; Sol-gel processes; Spinel; Spinel-structured; Structural analysis; Synthesis; VSM; X ray powder diffraction; X-ray diffraction; XRD
• ISSN: 0921-4526; 1873-2135
• DOI: 10.1016/j.physb.2017.12.049

Partially substituted spinel structured CoFe2-xCexO4 (x = 0, 0.03, 0.06, and 0.09) samples have been synthesized using the sol-gel autocombustion route. Stoichiometric amounts of metal nitrates and citric acid were mixed in double distilled water to get homogeneously mixed solutions which were then heated to burn and result in samples for the next two-step annealing procedures. Structural and phase characterization using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) has been carried out; and a pure spinel structured samples with lattice parameters increasing with the increase of Ce concentration levels have been obtained. The lattice parameters were calculated to be in the range of 8.42774–8.4744 Å. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) microstructure characterizations revealed clear grain structures of the so synthesized samples with grain sizes decreasing with Ce. Fourier transform Infrared (FT-IR) characterization measured in the wave number ranges of 400–4000 cm−1 showed the cation vibrations and stretching at characteristic frequency of 668–418 cm−1. The DC resistivity measurements confirmed a decrease in the resistivity of the samples with the increase of Ce concentration and with the increase of temperature in all of the samples synthesized. Room temperature vibrating sample magnetometer measurement revealed the magnetic properties of the samples with decreasing magnetic parameters as Ce concentration increases. •The magnetic properties were shown to decrease with the increase of Ce concentration.•The magnetic Fe3+ ions are being replaced by the non-magnetic Ce3+ ions, so the magnetic properties decrease.•That is, the magnetic effects have been controlled by Ce substitution.