Exploring effect of lanthanum substitution on physical and magneto-ferroelectric behavior of strontium hexaferrite nanomaterials for its applications in data storage to electronics industries

Abstract

The M-type hexagonal ferrite nanoscale materials; SrLa_xFe_12-xO₁₉ (X = 0.0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6) prepared by the sol-gel process have enhanced properties in the data storage device to electronics industries. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed a decrease in crystal size and strain from 83.493 nm to 31.716 nm and 15.3*10⁻⁴ to 4.7*10⁻⁴ by increasing rare earth element La content. Rietveld refinement finding shows that the hexagonal structure space group P63/mmc. TGA displays a significant weight loss at a temperature of 700 °C thus leading to annealing the sample at temperature 750 °C. The SEM analysis revealed an agglomerated and porous structure. The microstructure of prepared ferrite displays the nanocrystalline agglomeration as measured by TEM. Raman analysis shows a single wider peak bifurcated in the first substitution and again merged in maximal substitution at Raman shift 300–450 cm⁻¹, consistent result supporting new band formation. The ferroelectric behavior having the largest loop size at SrLa_0.6Fe_11.4O₁₉ with 6KV and 8 KV found. The M-H loop analysis of SrF₁₂O₁₉ and SrLa_0.6Fe_11.4O₁₉ reveals high coercivity (4770.432–5056.490 Oe), retentivity (27.97–28.08 emu/g), squareness ratio 0.5, and anisotropic constant from 0.53764 to 0.42558 erg/cm³. The squareness ratio increases from 0.576 to 0.711 and is directly proportional to the coercivity, which is an important feature of magnetic recording media, and memory storage potential The switching field distribution graph shows weak exchange coupling with double peaks, tuning structural, ferroelectric, and magnetic properties that are beneficial in high-frequency microwave applications, the electronic industry, and data storage.

Graphical Abstract