Microstructural analysis, magnetic interactions, and electrical transport studies of [formula omitted] nanoparticles

Abstract

This study focuses on the synthesis, structural characterization, magnetic interactions, and electrical transport properties of copper-doped zinc ferrite (Zn1−xCuxFe2O4) nanoparticles with varying Cu concentrations (x = 0.00, 0.03, 0.06, 0.10) using the co-precipitation method. The structural and morphological properties were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), through TEM, while the BET technique was employed to determine the surface area, pore size, and specific surface area. The synthesized nanoparticles were found to exhibit a cubic spinel structure with lattice parameters decreasing as Cu content increased. The photoluminescence spectra indicated emission energies and wavelengths in the green region of the visible spectrum. The magnetic properties were studied using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), revealing that Cu+2 doping resulted in the highest saturation magnetization (16.47 emu/g) by using an applied up to 50 kOe. The electrical properties were studied in the frequency range from 25 Hz to 2 MHz as a function of temperature ranging from 300 K to 480 K with an increment of 20 K. The electrical conductivity of the nanoparticles was found to increase with temperature and Cu content which is attributed to the thermally activated mechanism and predominantly dominated by overlapping large polaron tunneling (OLPT). The activation energy obtained from DC conductivities decreased order 0.63–0.48 eV for the synthesized nanoparticles. The temperature-dependent drift mobility exhibited p-type semiconducting behavior. Overall, the results suggest that Zn1−xCuxFe2O4 NPs have the potential for use in various applications, including sensors, energy storage, and catalysis.