Rare earth Gd3+-substituted Co spinel nanoferrites structural, dielectric and magnetic properties

Abstract

Gadolinium-doped cobalt ferrite CoGdxFe2-xO4 (CGF) were produced using citrate gel auto-combustion method (x = 0–0.025 at an interval of 0.005). An investigations on the impact of Gd3+ ions on structural, dielectric, and magnetic properties were conducted. The synthesized materials were characterized using the following techniques: X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet visible spectroscopy (UV), impedance (dielectric) analysis, and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The crystalline size ranging from 48 to 13 nm. The Williamson-Hall plots were utilized to examine the impact of crystalline size and lattice strain on the peak broadening of each sample. The X-ray diffraction spectra were used to confirm phase identification and spinel structure. The results of FTIR examinations show that strong metal oxide bonds can be found in the tetrahedral and octahedral sites at wavelengths of 351–376 cm−1 and 567–574 cm−1, respectively. The obtained samples to study optical energy bandgap (Eg), which vary from 2.01 eV to 2.45 eV and show that they are semiconducting materials.The Maxwell-Wagner model and Koop's theory have both been used to study the behaviour of dielectric properties. The dielectric constant at room temperature to 673 K in the frequency range 50 Hz–1 MHz to study the dielectric constant, dielectric loss, AC electrical conductivity, and impedance. The impedance charts show how conductivity was impacted by grain and grain boundary mechanisms. In relation to an applied field of 100 kOe, magnetization was measured at 3 K and 300 K. The blocking temperature (TB), which exhibits super-paramagnetic behaviour, is found to be approximately 359 K according to zero-field cooling ZFC and field cooling. The FC experiments carried out in the temperature range of 3 K–360 K under an applied field of 100 Oe.