Structural and magnetic features of Ce doped Co-Cu-Zn spinel nanoferrites prepared using sol gel self-ignition method

Cerium (Ce) substituted spinel nanocrystalline ferrites with composition Co0.30Cu0.25Zn0.45CexFe2-xO4 with (x = 0.00, 0.025, 0.050, 0.075 and 0.10) were synthesized using sol-gel auto-ignition method. Cerium was substituted to modify the properties of the Co-Cu-Zn spinel nanocrystalline ferrites. Structural, spectral, morphological and magnetic properties of all synthesized ferrites were investigated. Structural parameters such as crystallite size, micro strains, lattice parameters, FWHM and cell volume were calculated from XRD study. Ce undoped and doped nanoferrites revealed the single-phase spinel structure within crystalline sizes range (77.59-109.27) nm. FTIR study revealed the octahedral and tetrahedral bands for all spinel nanoferrites. FESEM images depicted the high agglomerations at x = 0.10 with random shape of the particles. VSM presented the magnetic features in terms of saturation, remanence, squareness ration, coercivity, initial permeability, Bohr magneton and anisotropy constant (K). All these parameters showed increased in values with the increased in the concentrations of Ce in Co-Cu-Zn spinel nanoferrites. Squareness ratio were found (> 1) depicted the soft magnetic behavior. All the Ce substituted spinel ferrites are suggested to be utilized for adsorbents in wastewater treatment, recording media and memory devices.