{"title":"Crystallographic modulation and optoelectronic phenomena in NiFe2O4/ZrC composites: A multifaceted structural and spectroscopic exploration","authors":"Jayashree Patra , Pujarani Parida , Siva Kumar Reddy , Vijay Raj Singh , Virendra Kumar Verma","doi":"10.1016/j.optmat.2025.117585","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This work investigates the structural and optoelectronic properties of nickel ferrite (NFO) composites with varying zirconium carbide (ZrC) content using x-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetric/differential scanning calorimetry (TGA/DSC), ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis), and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. XRD confirms a cubic spinel NFO structure with emerging ZrC rock-salt peaks, while crystallite sizes (13–22 nm) and microstrain (10<sup>−5</sup>–10<sup>−3</sup>) reveal lattice strain and defect incorporation. FESEM shows morphological evolution from porous NFO aggregates to dense ZrC-rich composites, and elemental mapping affirms homogeneous Ni, Fe, O, Zr, and C distribution. Raman spectra exhibit A<sub>1g</sub> phonon modes (600–700 cm<sup>−1</sup>) alongside ZrC-related bands (200–400 cm<sup>−1</sup>), indicating phonon coupling and phase coexistence. TGA/DSC demonstrates improved thermal stability, with transitions between 400 and 600 °C linked to enthalpy changes. Optical studies reveal a bandgap redshift from 1.88 eV to 1.61 eV, supported by Tauc plots and dielectric analysis. PL spectra display enhanced blue emission at ∼425 nm, associated with efficient defect-mediated recombination. Chromaticity analysis shows bluish-white emission with correlated colour temperatures (6297–6318 K) and a stable colour rendering index (∼89). The combined influence of lattice strain, phonon dynamics, and electronic transitions highlights the promise of NFO–ZrC composites for optoelectronic and photonic applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19564,"journal":{"name":"Optical Materials","volume":"169 ","pages":"Article 117585"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2000,"publicationDate":"2025-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Optical Materials","FirstCategoryId":"88","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0925346725009450","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"MATERIALS SCIENCE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
This work investigates the structural and optoelectronic properties of nickel ferrite (NFO) composites with varying zirconium carbide (ZrC) content using x-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetric/differential scanning calorimetry (TGA/DSC), ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis), and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. XRD confirms a cubic spinel NFO structure with emerging ZrC rock-salt peaks, while crystallite sizes (13–22 nm) and microstrain (10−5–10−3) reveal lattice strain and defect incorporation. FESEM shows morphological evolution from porous NFO aggregates to dense ZrC-rich composites, and elemental mapping affirms homogeneous Ni, Fe, O, Zr, and C distribution. Raman spectra exhibit A1g phonon modes (600–700 cm−1) alongside ZrC-related bands (200–400 cm−1), indicating phonon coupling and phase coexistence. TGA/DSC demonstrates improved thermal stability, with transitions between 400 and 600 °C linked to enthalpy changes. Optical studies reveal a bandgap redshift from 1.88 eV to 1.61 eV, supported by Tauc plots and dielectric analysis. PL spectra display enhanced blue emission at ∼425 nm, associated with efficient defect-mediated recombination. Chromaticity analysis shows bluish-white emission with correlated colour temperatures (6297–6318 K) and a stable colour rendering index (∼89). The combined influence of lattice strain, phonon dynamics, and electronic transitions highlights the promise of NFO–ZrC composites for optoelectronic and photonic applications.
期刊介绍:
Optical Materials has an open access mirror journal Optical Materials: X, sharing the same aims and scope, editorial team, submission system and rigorous peer review.
The purpose of Optical Materials is to provide a means of communication and technology transfer between researchers who are interested in materials for potential device applications. The journal publishes original papers and review articles on the design, synthesis, characterisation and applications of optical materials.
OPTICAL MATERIALS focuses on:
• Optical Properties of Material Systems;
• The Materials Aspects of Optical Phenomena;
• The Materials Aspects of Devices and Applications.
Authors can submit separate research elements describing their data to Data in Brief and methods to Methods X.