Effect of the substitution element In in CoFe2−xInxO4 on morphology, magnetic and optical properties

Abstract

Cobalt ferrite substituted with indium, CoFe2−xInxO4 (x = 0.05, 0.1 and 0.5 mol), was obtained by the original fast hydrothermal method and the effects of the substitution on morphology and magnetic and optical properties of cobalt ferrite were investigated. The obtained nanoparticle samples with different concentrations of the substitute (Fe3+ was substituted by In3+) were characterized by x-ray diffraction, bright field transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray, the conventional AC method, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and UV–Vis. The measurements confirmed the presence of indium in cobalt ferrite and showed a good degree of crystallization with diffraction peaks corresponding to the cubic spinel structure and crystallite sizes in the range of 11.8–17.6 nm. We observed that a single phase is formed when Fe3+ was substituted with In3+ at low concentrations (x = 0.05 and 0.1), and new peaks in XRD appear characteristic of the secondary phase of In2O3 for a high level of substitution (x = 0.5).