Effect of Cr3+ Substitution on the Structural, Electrical and Magnetic Properties of Ni0.7Zn0.2Cu0.1Fe2−xCrxO4 Ferrites

In this work, Ni0.7Zn0.2Cu0.1Fe2−xCrxO4 (x = 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08 and 0.1) ferrites were synthesized by using the solid state reaction method and how relevant properties of the samples were modified accordingly. The structural, morphological, magnetic and electrical features of the ferrites were evaluated by using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transmission infrared (FTIR) spectra, vibrating sample magnetometry, electron spin resonance and network analyser. The lattice constant decreases with increasing chromium concentration and the decrease in the lattice constant is attributed to the ionic radius of chromium being smaller than that of iron. The distribution of metal cations in the spinel structure was estimated from the X-ray diffraction data and showed that along with Ni2+ ions, most of the Zn2+ and the Cu2+ ions additionally occupied the octahedral [B] sites. The FTIR spectra revealed two prominent frequency bands in the wave number range 400–600 cm−1 which confirm the cubic spinel structure. The magnetic properties, such as the initial permeability, saturation magnetization and coercivity, were investigated at room temperature. The frequency-dependent dielectric constant was observed to decrease with increasing chromium concentration. This behavior was using Koops phenomenological theory.