Investigation of structural, physical, spectral, photoluminescence, Raman, and dielectric properties of Ba2Co2GdxFe28-xO46 hexaferrites

Abstract

Nano-crystalline Gd-substituted X-type hexaferrites with the composition Ba2Co2GdxFe28-xO46 (x = 0.00, 0.08, 0.16, 0.24, and 0.32) were synthesized using sol-gel auto-combustion procedure. The establishment of single and pure phases of X-type hexagonal ferrites is verified by X-ray diffraction. The crystallite size ranging from 25 to 31 nm showed the increasing trend with the enhancement of Gd-substitution. The unit cell volume was found in 2502.83–2516.07 Å3. The alteration in lattice parameters and cell volume is due to the difference in ionic radii of the host (Fe) and substituent (Gd) element. FTIR spectra ranging 590-3000 cm−1 revealed the emergence of specific absorption bands verifying the formation of hexagonal ferrites. The behavior of dielectric properties is frequency dependent. The dielectric constant at low frequency for all substitution was high, but over the large frequency values, the dielectric constant was decreased. The dielectric loss factor increases over low frequencies and decreases as frequency rises with a higher concentration level. Higher dielectric parameter values suggest that synthetic material might be good for high-frequency applications and super-capacitors fabrication. The changes in Raman spectra as a function of substitution content are ascribed to the development of strain in the unit cell (x). The XRD investigation well corroborates this conclusion. FESEM images depicted the hexagon shaped particles of the X type hexagonal ferrites. In the PL spectra of synthesized compounds, all emissions invisible (red) zone with PL intensity at 661 nm were observed.