Determination of Cation Distribution in Nickel Zinc Ferrites by X-Ray Diffraction

Abstract

A series of ferrites of chemical composition Ni_{1-x}Zn_{x}Fe_{2}O_{4} (x=0.0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 \& 1.00) prepared by solid-state reaction are found to have cubic spinel structure at 1300^{\circ}C. The cation distribution is studied through structural parameters such as the oxygen positional parameter U and nearest neighbour distances between an oxygen ion and tetrahedral position in these materials. The lattice parameter and the oxygen positional parameter are found to vary with the concentration of Zn. The results are analyzed on the basis of tetrahedral and octahedral positions preference of the cations.