A study of structural, electrical and magnetic properties of zinc substituted magnesium ferrite

Abstract Zinc substituted magnesium ferrite with the compositional formula Mg1-xZnxFe2O4 (where x = 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20, 0.25) was synthesized using auto-combustion method. The ash obtained was calcined in microwave furnace at 550 °C for 30 min. The calcined powder was further annealed at 600 °C in the furnace. The structural, dielectric and magnetic properties were studied using XRD, LCR meter and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) for all the samples. XRD pattern confirmed the formation of the spinel cubic phase of magnesium ferrite. Lattice constants and density were determined from the Rietveld analysis of the XRD pattern. The crystallite size of all the samples was calculated. Presence of Fe-O bond in all the samples was confirmed by FTIR spectra. Dielectric properties such as dielectric constant and dielectric loss of all the samples were studied as a function of frequency. Both the quantities show dispersion with frequency. Dielectric constant and ac conductivity were found to be minimum when the concentration of Zn2+ is x = 0.15 while dielectric loss is maximum at this concentration. The VSM measurement showed that the saturation magnetization increased with the Zn2+ concentration up to x = 0.20. Electric polarizations of the samples were studied using P-E hysteresis loop. It was found that electric polarization decreased with the increasing concentration of Zn2+ up to x = 0.20.