Study of ZrxZn0.5-xNi0.5Fe2O4 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.25: Synthesis, structural, magnetic and electrical properties

Zirconium substituted zinc-nickel ferrite nanoparticles with chemical composition of ZrxZn0.5-xNi0.5Fe2O4 (0 <= x <= 0.25) have been synthesized successfully by solution combustion method using high purity nitrates and fueling agent urea. Powder XRD study confirms the single phase formation of composite ferrite which belongs to cubic spinel structure. TEM further reveals the morphology of well dispersed Zn-Ni ferrite nanoparticles to be spherical. Effect of change of doping concentration of Zirconium is observed using FTIR. The saturation magnetization gradually decreases with the increase in Zr substitution and reaches minimum when x=0.25 whereas the coercivity value reaches minimum when x=0.15. DC electrical resistivity has been found to vary with increasing Zr content. The good electrical resistivity ( > 10(7) Omega cm) qualify the ceramic for high frequency transformer applications. (C) 2015 Elsevier BY. All rights reserved.