Optical, structural and magnetic properties of copper-doped iron ferrite synthesized by a Sol-Gel method

Abstract EN

The samples of CuxFe2-xO4 (x = 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0) ferrites were synthesized by a solgel method.

The structural, morphological, optical and magnetic properties of the products were determined and characterized in detail by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Transmission Scanning Electron Microscopy (TEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and Superconducting Quantum Interferometer Device (SQUID).

X-ray analysis showed that all compositions crystallize with a cubic spinel-type structure with an average crystallite size in the range of 11–13 nm.

The lattice parameter increased from 8.30 to 8.400 Å with increasing Zn content.

The optical properties of the nano-ferrites were investigated by UV– vis spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL) spectra.

UV–vis absorption spectra show that the energy band gap (Eg) of Zn-doped copper ferrite decreases from 3.64 to 3.10 eV when the particle size is increased.

The broad visible emission band is observed in the entire PL spectrum.

The CuxFe2- xO4 nano-ferrites exhibit super-paramagnetic behavior at room temperature (RT).