P-type semiconductor Gd/Fe ion doped Ni-Mg nanoferrites applications

Abstract

Citrate gel-auto combustion was used to create gadolinium doped Ni-Mg ferrites with the chemical formula Ni0.8Mg0.2GdxFe2-xO4 (NMGF) with compositions x = (0.00, 0.005, 0.010, 0.015, 0.020, and 0.025). Gadolinium substitution has been studied to see how it affects the structural and electrical characteristics of Ni-Mg complexes. The NMGF crystallizes into a cubic spinel structure, with no secondary phase emerging, according to X-ray diffraction patterns. The elemental composition analysis validates the existence of the predicted components in the samples based on stoichiometry. Images taken with a transmission electron microscope with high resolution and a scanning electron microscope indicate the type of grain formation as well as the particle size of the produced materials. As compared to undoped Ni-Mg ferrite, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy verifies the establishment of spinel phase and predicts the movement of bands corresponding to Fe-O vibrations towards higher wavenumbers. The samples were measured for conductivity at temperatures ranging from 300 to 723 K. Conductivity measurements revealed the ferromagnetic to paramagnetic transition temperature (Tc) for all materials. The activation energy was determined below and above Tc. TEP measurements of NMGF ferrites were made using a differential technique at temperatures ranging from 300 to 723 K. The prepared ferrites' Seebeck coefficient (S) rose with increasing temperature.

Keywords

• Gd3+ doped Ni-Mg nano ferrites
• Cubic spinel structure
• Optical studies
• Thermoelectric power studies
• Conductivity