Structural study on nano-crystals of spinel Mgx-Zn1-X-Fe2O4 ferrite with and without calcination

Abstract

This study investigated a series of single phase Mgx-Zn1-x-Fe2O4 spinel ferrites, prepared using co-precipitation technique and sintered at 600°C. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of the ferrite samples revealed the formation of impurity free single phase spinel structures. The formation of ferrite phases and face centered cubic structures was confirmed at Bragg angles of 35.9°, 54.3° and 62.7°. The lattice parameter increased with an increase in 'x' content in the ferrite composition. The grain size, estimated from SEM micrographs, was found in the range of 0.5-2 mμ. The lattice parameter of the ferrite samples exhibited an initial increase upto a certain extent, thereafter suddenly dropped down due to fracturing and re-welding processes. Overall, the lattice parameter 'a' varied from 0.80 to 0.85 nm, crystallite size from 34 to 80 nm, unit cell volume from 0.528 × 10-21 to 0.62 × 10-21cm3 and X-ray density from 5.8 to 4.5 g/cm3.