Low temperature synthesis of nanosized Mn1-xZnxFe2O4 ferrites and their characterizations

Nanosized Mn1-xZnxFe2O4 (x = 0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.9) mixed ferrite samples of particle size < 12 nm were prepared using the co-precipitation technique by doping the Zn2+ ion impurities. Autoclave was employed to maintain constant temperature of 80 degrees C and a constant pressure. The X-ray analysis and the IR spectrum analysis were carried out to confirm the spinel phase formation as well as to ascertain the cation distribution in the ferrite samples. This clearly points to the fact that the Zn2+ ion's presence is not restricted to A-site alone for some of the Mn-Zn ferrite series. The real part of a.c. susceptibility measurements clearly indicated the superparamagnetic behaviour of the ferrite samples. There is a systematic decrease in the particle size, Curie temperature and magnetization with the increase in the Zn2+ ion doping, measured using magneto thermal gravimetric analysis (MTGA) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), respectively. The lattice constant is found to be constantly decreasing till x = 0.6 and beyond this an unusual slight increase in the lattice constant is found.