Effect of Calcination Temperature and Substitution of Erbium on Structural and Optical Properties of Nickel Zinc Ferrite Nanoparticles

Abstract

A single composition of erbium-doped nickel zinc ferrite Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe1.95Er0.05O4 is synthesized by the sol-gel autocombustion process. The prepared composition was divided into five equal parts. One of the parts was an as-prepared sample, and remaining four other parts were calcinated at 600, 700, 800, and 900 ∘C to investigate the variation in structural and optical properties with the calcination temperature. The structural characterization was performed using XRD and SEM. Optical properties were analyzed using FTIR and UV-Visible spectral data. XRD patterns confirm the spinel cubic crystal structure and the Fd3m space group. The crystallite size was minimum for the as-prepared sample (17.9452 nm), and the crystallite size was maximum for the sample calcinated at 900 ∘C (29.8481 nm). SEM images revealed the grain size in the interval from 55.38 nm to 177.73 nm, and certain nanotubes were formed in the sample calcinated at 800 ∘C. Optical energy band gap was observed in the interval from 5.556 eV to 3.969 eV. All these testifies to the variations in structural and optical properties of Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe1.95Er0.05O4 with the calcination temperature.