A comparison of the magnetic and microwave absorption properties of Mn–Sn–Ti substituted strontium ferrite with and without multi-walled carbon nanotube

Abstract

In this work, a comparison of magnetic and microwave properties between Mn–Sn–Ti substituted SrM ferrite and nanocomposite of Mn–Sn–Ti substituted SrM ferrite–20% volume multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) has been done. Phase characterization and crystal structure of the synthesized nanoparticles were tested by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) analysis approved that the SrFe12−x(MnSn0.5Ti0.5)x/2O19 nanoparticles were attached on the external surfaces of the MWCNTs. Mӧssbauer spectroscopy (MS) showed the occupancy by non-magnetic Mn2+–Sn4+–Ti4+ cations into the hexagonal lattice structure. Magnetic properties were evaluated by a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The results also indicated that saturation magnetization and coercivity were decreased with an increase in x content and also MWCNTs addition. Microwave absorption properties were investigated by a vector network analyzer (VNA). It was found that with an addition of 20 volume percentage of MWCNTs, the saturation magnetization coupled with coercivity decrease, but reflection loss (RL) increase broadly. Also it proved that with an increase in the thickness of absorption the frequency band shifts from Ku (12–18 GHz) to X (8–12 GHz) band.