The effect of praseodymium on Cobalt-Zinc spinel ferrites

A series of Co0.6Zn0.4PrxFe2-xO4 (x=0.0, 0.025, 0.05, 0.075, 0.10) spinel ferrites was successfully synthesized by conventional ceramic technique. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) showed that along with spinel phase, secondary phase (PrFeO3) was appeared for composition with x >= 0.075. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) of the samples showed inhomogeneous grain size distribution. Electrical measurements showed that the resistivity and activation energy increased with the praseodymium (Pr3+) substitution while de resistivity decreased with the temperature, showing the semiconductor behavior of the synthesized samples. Remanence (M-r) and the saturation magnetization (M-s) showed decreasing trend while coercivity (H-c) increased with the substitution of Pr3+ into Co-Zn spinel ferrites. The anisotropic constant K-1 exhibited similar behavior as H-c, showing their interdependence and it also showed that anisotropy enhanced with the substitution of praseodymium. The above-mentioned parameters suggested that the synthesized samples might be suited for the application of high density magnetic recording.