Synthesis and multifunctional characterizations of Gd2 O3 and Sm2 O3 modified ZnO nanoparticles

Abstract

In the present communication multifunctional characterizations suitable for spintronics and memory storage devices are described. Double doped (Gd3+, Sm3+) ZnO nanoparticles are prepared from Sol-Gel method using poly vinyl alcohol (PVA) as chelating agent. The as prepared powders are annealed at 500 °C–1000 °C with a step size of 100 °C. The genesis of single phase hexagonal wurtzite structure, morphological and topographical changes, optical, magnetic and mechanical properties were studied with XRD (X-ray diffraction), SEM (scanning electron microscopy), TEM (transmission electron microscopy), EDS (energy dispersive spectroscopy), UV- DRS (ultraviolet diffuse reflective spectroscopy), PL (photoluminescence), VSM (vibrating sample magnetometer) and pin on disc tribometer. XRD study untangled the crystallite size and found to be in the range23-50nm. Polycrystalline nanoparticles of spherical geometry with induced porosity is observed from SEM study. The particle size associated with the samples annealed at 500 °C and 900 °C is 24 nm and 27 nm respectively from TEM study. Analyzed the proximity of functional groups, molecular vibrations in the range of 400-4000 cm−1 employing FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy). EDS results revealed the stoichiometry of the produced samples. The pronounced optoelectronic applications of Zn1-x Gdx Smx O (ZGS) can be attributed to the large band gap (3.50–3.02 eV) associated with the materials with rise in annealing temperature. The room temperature ferromagnetism was evidenced with double doped ZnO nanomaterials. The wear coefficient, and friction coefficient were evaluated using pin-on-disc tribometer. The utility of materials as solid state lubricants was confiscated from the range of frictional coefficient values (0.067–0.893).