Structural, optical, electrical and magnetic tuning based on Zn substitution at A site in yttrium doped spinel ferrites

The series of Zn2+ doped Co–Ni–Y spinel ferrites with compositional formula Co0.6Ni0.4-xZnxFe1.9Y0.1O4 where x = 0.0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 were synthesized by chemical co-precipitation technique. Structural, optical, electrical and magnetic properties were explored by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Ultra violet spectroscopy (UV–Vis), Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), four-point probes I–V technique and Vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), respectively. Variations in lattice constants were detected with the insertion of Zn due to the difference in ionic radii of Zn2+ (0.82 Å) and Ni2+ (0.79 Å). FTIR outcomes exposed the existence of tetrahedral frequency absorption band in the range of 545.24–522.34 cm−1. Optical band gap energy (Eg) determined from the UV–Vis data was observed to be decreased from 3.86 to 1.84 eV. DC electrical resistivity of synthesized nanoferrites showed decreased nature in the range of 1.46 x 1010–7.78 x 107 Ω-cm for x = 0.0–0.4, respectively. Remarkable values of coercivity and microwave frequency signified that fabricated nanoferrites are highly applicable in high frequency switching devices.