Mg0.50Cu0.5-xNixFe2O4 Spinel Nanoferrites: Structural, Electrical, Magnetic and Y-K angle Studies

Spinel Nanoferrites of composition Mg0.50Cu0.5-xNixFe2O4 (0.00 <= x <= 0.50) were synthesized by chemical co-precipitation method. The structural, morphological and magnetically changes due to varying concentrations of metal ions of Cu and Ni in the prepared nanoferrites were studied. XRD confirmed the formation of single phase spinel ferrite with crystalline sizes in between 16-29 nm, and the lattice parameter (a) found to decreases with increase of Ni concentration. Electrical resistivity of the prepared nanoferrites with varying nickel and copper concentrations x observed to follow Arrhenius relation and also exhibited the semiconductor behavior. The magnetic hysteresis curves clearly indicate the soft nature of the prepared samples. Saturation magnetization (Ms) increases with Ni content. This effect is related to the magnetic moments of Ni+2 ions. The Y-K angles increase with increasing Ni content, and suggest a non-collinearity Neel type of ordering of the Y-K type. The increase in the Y-K angles also suggests the increase in triangular spin arrangements on B sites, which subsequently lead to increment in A-B interactions.