Structural, morphological and compositional properties of La3+ substituted Mg–Zn ferrite interlocked nanoparticles by co-precipitation method

Abstract

Interlocked nanoparticles of La3+ substituted magnesium zinc ferrites (La-MZF) with general formula Mg0.6Zn0.4La2yFe2–2yO4 (where y = 0.0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.15, 0.20 and 0.25) have been synthesized using co-precipitation method. The structural and micro-structural properties of prepared sample were characterized by different physical and chemical characterization techniques. The X-ray diffraction analysis was carried out to confirm the single-phase cubic spinel structure of La3+ substituted magnesium zinc ferrites. The lattice constant, X-Ray density, physical density, porosity, particle size, site radii (RA and RB), bond lengths (A–O and B–O) are calculated for the samples. As composition y varies from 0.00 to 0.25; lattice constant decreases from 8.4514 to 8.4488 A, due to the large difference of ionic radius of La3+ and other cations. SEM micrographs were obtained. The surface morphology of La-MZF shows that the interlocked nanoparticles with average grain size varying from 300 to 95 nm. Also, energy dispersive analysis by X-ray shows the presence of all the metals in the exact composition as that of precursors used for preparation of samples.