A Comparative study of the influence of Zn ions as a growth catalyst on the physical and mechanical properties of MnFe2O4

Abstract

The current study comprises the utilization of a flash auto combustion process to prepare nano-ferrites Mn_1-x Zn_x Fe₂O₄ (x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4). The structural features of the generated samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transition infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to evaluate the surface morphology of the samples at different zinc concentrations. The spinel cubic Fd-3 m space group formed as a major phase, as proven by XRD patterns. The strength of the major peak (311) increases with increasing Zn concentration, showing an increase in crystallinity which signifies the growth catalytic effect of zinc ions. XRD was used to examine numerous microstructural parameters, including crystallite size, lattice constant, and x-ray density. FTIR investigation revealed the formation of a spinel structure in the ferrite systems. The presence of Zinc ions, which function as a catalyst for particle growth, explains why particle size increases as Zn content increases. SEM pictures show patchy and irregularly scattered grains, ranging in size from 1.409 μm to 3.300 μm with increasing Zn content. The magnetization curves exhibited low coercivity (Hc), indicating that our material is soft magnetic ferrite. Coercivity values are unpredictable due to zinc’s large ionic radii, which favor the creation of a regular spinel structure over a mixed spinel of nanocrystalline manganese ferrite, resulting in magnetic energy loss. The hardness decreased with increasing indentation time, but the average hardness values increased from 435.0 to 845.1 MPa as the zinc content of the matrix increased leads to the improve of abrasive capacity of our samples. The sample x = 0.4 exhibits high creep resistance.