Effect of Gd3+ ion doping on structural, optical, magnetic and dielectric properties on superparamagnetic Mg0.5Zn0.5Fe2−xGdxO4 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) nanoparticles synthesized via oleic acid assisted chemical co-precipitation method

Abstract

In the present study, different compositions having general formula Mg0.5Zn0.5GdxFe2−xO4, (x = 0, 0.025, 0.050, 0.075, 0.1) were synthesized using chemical co-precipitation method. The substitution of Gd3+ ions have exhibited profound impacts on the structural, morphological, magnetic, and optical parameters of Mg-Zn ferrites. Single-phase cubic spinel structure has been substantiated by X-ray diffractometer (X-ray diffraction, XRD) analysis for all compositions without any contamination peak. The values of the lattice constant and X-ray density both show an increasing trend when the Gd3+ ion concentration increases. (Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy) FTIR spectra recorded in the mid-infrared region (4000–400 cm−1) exhibit two main absorption bands associated with the Oh and Td sites within the frequency range of 400–600 cm−1. Morphological studies using (High-resolution transmission electron microscopy) HR-TEM analysis reveal agglomeration of nanoparticles and the average particle size lies between 8 and 9 nm. Maximum magnetization displays an erratic trend with increasing Gd3+ ion concentration, although both retentivity and coercivity decreases. The hysteresis curve for samples of differing ratios of Gd3+ ions demonstrated the superparamagnetic nature. Tauc’s plot was employed to calculate the energy bandgap (Eg) of synthesized nanoparticles and Eg value were observed to decline from 3.563 eV to 3.521 eV with an increasing Gd3+ ion concentration. Impedance analyzer was used in the frequency range of 100 Hz–100 MHz to study dielectric properties at room temperature. The dielectric parameters declined as the frequency values increased. Due to lower values of dielectric parameters in Gd3+ ion doped Mg–Zn nano-ferrite, these materials are suitable in the fabrication of devices that need to operate at high frequencies such as switching memory storage devices. Moreover, these materials are appropriate for application in ferrofluids and medicinal treatments such as magnetic hyperthermia because of their low coercive field value.