Influence of La 3+ ion doping on structural and magnetic properties of nickel ferrite nanoparticles prepared by sol-gel route

Abstract

Rare earth La 3+ ions doped nickel ferrite nanomagnetic particles with composition NiLa x Fe 2-x O 4 (where x= 0.025, 0.05, 0.075, 0.1) were synthesized via sol-gel method. The synthesized materials were then examined using XRD, TEM and VSM techniques. The crystallinity of the synthesized particles was revealed using X-ray studies and no distinct peaks are observed. The induced strain decreases with the increasing La 3+ ion content. TEM analysis revealed the homogeneous and elongated shape of the nanoferrites with slight agglomeration. The M-H curves exhibit the ferromagnetic behavior of all compositions. The anisotropy fields seem to be very high justifying the magnetic hardness for all compositions. The exaggerated values of coercive fields prove these products to be employed in diverse areas such as sensors, catalytic action and microwave absorption.