Structural analysis, magnetic and electrical properties of samarium substituted lithium–nickel mixed ferrites

Abstract

A series of Sm-doped Li–Ni ferrites with formula of (Li0.5Fe0.5)0.4Ni0.6SmyFe2−yO4, where 0.0≤y≤0.1 were prepared by double sintering ceramic technique. The structure was characterized by X-ray diffraction, which has confirmed the formation of single-phase spinel structure. The samarium concentration dependence of lattice parameters obeys Vegard's law. The octahedral site radii increased with Sm content while the tetrahedral site radii decreased. Deviation from the ideal crystal structure (Δ) is found to decrease with Sm substitution, and the hopping length on the octahedral site is found to increase with Sm content. Hall measurement confirmed p-type conductivity behavior for Sm-doped ferrite and the main charge transport mechanism is hopping of halls between Ni2+ and Ni3+. Sintering at 1300°C resulted in low resistivity ferrite, which was found to increase with Sm content. Resistivity is governed by both charge carrier mobility and carrier concentration. It decreases with frequency, and this behavior with frequency is discussed according to Koop's theorem. The dielectric constant is found to decrease more rapidly at low frequencies than at higher frequencies while the dielectric constant increases with Sm content. The decrease in ε″ with frequency agrees with Deby's type relaxation process. Maximum in ε″ is observed when the hopping frequency is equal to the external electric field frequency. The variation in tanδ with frequency shows a similar nature to that of ε″ with frequency. The magnetization under applied magnetic field for the samples exhibits a clear hysteretic behavior. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) studies showed that the domain walls may tend to be trapped (pinned) by non-magnetic inclusions, precipitates and voids. The saturation magnetization (MS) increases with the sintering temperature, while the coercivity (HCi) is found to decrease.