Structural, morphological, dielectrical and magnetic properties of Mn substituted cobalt ferrite

Abstract

The Co1−xMnxFe2O4 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.5) ferrite system is synthesized by using an auto combustion technique using metal nitrates. The influence of Mn substitution on the structural, electrical, impedance and magnetic properties of cobalt ferrite is reported. X-ray diffraction patterns of the prepared samples confirm that the Bragg's peak belongs to a spinel cubic crystal structure. The lattice constant of cobalt ferrite increases with the increase in Mn content. The microstructural study is carried out by using the SEM technique and the average grain size continues to increase with increasing manganese content. AC conductivity analysis suggests that the conduction is due to small polaron hopping. DC electrical resistivity decreases with increasing temperature for a Co1−xMnxFe2O4 system showing semiconducting behavior. The activation energy is found to be higher in the paramagnetic region than the ferromagnetic region. Curie temperature decreases with Mn substitution in the host ferrite system. Dielectric dispersion having Maxwell—Wagner-type interfacial polarization has been observed for cobalt ferrite samples. Magnetic properties have been studied by measuring M—H plots. The saturation and remanent magnetization increases with Mn substitution.