Effect of Firing Temperatures on Phase Formation, Microstructure, Dielectric and Magnetic Properties of Ni_0.6Zn_0.4Fe₂O₄ Ceramics Synthesized by the Solid-State Combustion Technique

Abstract

In this study, the effect of firing temperatures on phase formation, microstructure dielectric and magnetic properties of Ni_0.6Zn_0.4Fe₂O₄ (NZFO) ceramics were investigated. The NZFO powder were synthesized by the solid-state combustion technique using glycine as a fuel to reduce the reaction temperature. All samples were calcined in the range of 900 °C–1100 °C for 2 h and sintered in the range of 1175 °C–1275 °C for 2 h. A pure ferrite phase was found in the powders calcined above 1000 °C and the average particle size of NZFO powders was increased from 0.39 µm to 0.59 µm when the calcination temperature was increased. The x-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis results confirmed the formation of pure spinel structure with cubic phase in all the ceramic samples. The average grain size (5.54–2.80 µm) was slightly decreased, and the dielectric constant (239–13) tended to decrease with increasing sintering temperature. As the sintering temperature increased to 1250 °C, it was found that the lattice parameters (8.366–8.387 Å), the density (5.29–5.35 g/cm³), and saturation magnetization (81.51–93.92 emu/g) tended to increase after that decrease.

Keywords:

• NZFO
• solid-state combustion technique
• phase structure
• microstructure
• magnetic properties

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Naresuan University for their supporting facilities. Thanks are also given to Asst. Prof. Dr. Kyle V. Lopin for his help in editing the manuscript.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Naresuan University (NU) and National Science, Research and Innovation Fund (NSRF) with Grant No. [R2565B059].