Structural, Magnetic and Mossbauer evaluation of Mn substituted Co-Zn ferrite nanoparticles synthesized by co-precipitation

X-ray and Mossbauer studies have been made on Co0.5-xMnxZn0.5Fe2O4 prepared by the co-precipitation method from stoichiometric aqueous solutions. In these compositions x varies from 0.0 to 0.5 in steps of 0.1. The as-synthesized powders were characterized by the X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and Mossbauer spectroscopy at room temperature. The XRD results revealed the production of a broad single cubic phase with the average crystallite size of about 5-8 nm. The FTIR measurements between 400 and 4000 cm(-1) confirmed the intrinsic cation vibrations of the spinel structure. The Mossbauer spectral studies showed that the substitution of magnetic Mn2+ is responsible for the increase in the intensity of the central paramagnetic doublet. The VSM results showed that as the Mn content increases up to 0.4 the Curie point, the coercivity and saturation magnetization decrease. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.