Structural, magnetic, and mechanical properties enhancement in Mn-Zn ferrites via controlled lithium ion doping

Abstract

In this work, lithium-doped manganese-zinc (Mn-Zn) ferrites were synthesized using a conventional solid-state route to investigate the effects of lithium (Li⁺) incorporation on their structural, magnetic, and mechanical properties. The main objective was to develop phase-pure and mechanically robust magnetic ceramics suitable for high-frequency applications. Ferrite compositions with various Li⁺ contents (x = 0, 0.03, 0.05, and 0.1) were sintered under controlled atmosphere to promote densification and phase purity. XRD and FTIR analyses confirmed spinel structure formation and the suppression of hematite as a secondary phase with increasing Li⁺. SEM results revealed enhanced microstructural uniformity, while mechanical tests showed a 28 % increase in flexural strength. Magnetic measurements indicated that saturation magnetization (Ms) increased from 60.8 to 78.4 emu/g with Li⁺ addition. These results demonstrate that controlled lithium doping is an effective strategy for tailoring both the magnetic and mechanical performance of Mn-Zn ferrite ceramics.