Effect of Copper Substitution on the Structural, Morphological and Magnetic properties of Nickel Ferrites

Abstract

The rich physical properties have made nano particles of spinal ferrites to be of great interest in fundamental science. Copper doped Nickel ferrites nano particles were prepared by sol- gel method under stoichiometric conditions. Here we add a nonmagnetic dopant Cu to nickel ferrite nanocrystals and characterize how relevant properties of the samples are modified accordingly. Basically, the doping causes a rearrangement of Fe+3 ions into the two pre-existing octahedral and tetrahedral sites. In the case of the Cu-doping, the Jahn-Teller effect also surfaces which is identified through the FTIR Spectroscopy of the sample. The structural, morphological and the magnetic properties of the spinal ferrite sample have been investigated by means of X-ray diffraction studies, Scanning electron microscope and   the vibrating sample magnetometer studies. X-ray results confirm the single-phase cubic spinal structure. The functional groups of the magnetic material were identified from FTIR spectrum.