Crystal chemistry and single-phase synthesis of Gd3+ substituted Co-Zn ferrite nanoparticles for enhanced magnetic properties

Rare earth (RE) ions are known to improve the magnetic interactions in spinel ferrites if they are accommodated in the lattice, whereas the formation of a secondary phase leads to the degradation of the magnetic properties of materials. Therefore, it is necessary to solubilize the RE ions in a spinel lattice to get the most benefit. In this context, this work describes the synthesis of Co-Zn ferrite nanoparticles and the Gd3+ doping effect on the tuning of their magnetic properties. The modified sol-gel synthesis approach offered a facile way to synthesize ferrite nanoparticles using water as the solvent. X-ray diffraction with Rietveld refinement confirmed that both pure Co-Zn ferrite and Gd3+ substituted Co-Zn ferrite maintained single-phase cubic spinel structures. Energy dispersive spectroscopy was used to determine the elemental compositions of the nanoparticles. Field and temperature dependent magnetic characteristics were measured by employing a vibration sample magnetometer in field cooled (FC)/zero field cooled (ZFC) modes. Magnetic interactions were also determined by Mossbauer spectroscopy. The saturation magnetization and coercivity of Co-Zn ferrite were improved with the Gd3+ substitution due to the Gd3+ (4f(7))-Fe3+ (3d(5)) interactions. The increase in magnetization and coercivity makes these Gd3+ substituted materials applicable for use in magnetic recording media and permanent magnets.