A structural, morphological, optical and magnetic study of nickel-substituted zinc (Ni–Zn) ferrite nanoparticles synthesized via glycine assisted gel autocombustion synthesis route

Abstract

The spinel NixZn(1-x)Fe2O4(x = 0.00, 0.25, 0.50)) ferrite nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by an innovative glycine assisted gel autocombustion synthesis route. The impact of substitution Ni2+cations on the structural, morphological, optical, and magnetic study of NixZn(1-x)Fe2O4nanostructures was studied. A single-phased cubic spinel type structure was confirmed by XRD with crystallite size ranging from 28 nm to 46 nm. The two absorption bands, ν1 and ν2 below 1000 frequency in FTIR spectra corresponding to the tetrahedral and octahedral sites respectively, demonstrated the signature of the spinel lattice of the prepared nanosamples. SEM micrographs revealed agglomerated hexagonal and nearly spherical nanoparticles of size less than 60 nm. TEM micrographs showed a cluster of single crystalline agglomerated nanoparticles and the average particle size estimated from TEM is in accordance with SEM results. SAED patterns confirmed the construct of spinel nanoferrite which proportionate with the XRD pattern. Furthermore, UV-DRS absorption spectroscopy was employed to investigate the optical characteristics of NixZn(1-x)Fe2O4 ferrite nanoparticles at room temperature. UV-DRS absorption spectra of all the samples displayed an exceptional visible light absorption band in the wavelength less than 600 nm. At room temperature M − H plots indicated that NixZn(1-x)Fe2O4 spinel ferrite exhibits paramagnetic (for x = 0%) and soft ferrimagnetic (for x = 25%, 50%) behaviour depending on the Ni2+ substitution ratio. Saturation magnetization and coercivity increase with increasing Ni2+ content. These results indicates that the synthesized Ni–Zn spinel ferrite nanoparticles could be used in photocatalytic and high-frequency applications with optimum Ni2+ substitution for Zn2+cations.