Microwave Absorption Characteristic of ZnNd(x)Fe(2-x)O4 System

Abstract

The ZnNd(x)Fe(2-x)O4 (x = 0.0; 0.010; 0.020 and 0,030) systems were synthesized by solid reaction method from a mixture of ZnO2, Fe2O3 and Nd2O3 powders according to their mole ratio using mechanical milling techniques. In this mixture was added ethanol of 25 ml and then milled for 5 hours, after that sintered at a temperature of 1000 °C for 5 hours. X-ray diffraction patterns showed that the Nd3+ ion substitution in ZnFe2O4 with the concentration of x = 0.0 to 0.02 did not result in changes in ZnFe2O4 phase with cubic structure (space group of Fd-3m). However, the composition of x = 0.030 formed multiphases ZnFe2O4 and NdFeO3 phases. The morphological observation using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) showed spherical and uniform particles. Whereas the microwave absorption capability of the sample ZnNd(x)Fe(2-x)O4 system increased with the increasing concentration of x from 91.20% up to 97.80% with the highest absorption is found at a frequency of 10.24 GHz. The dielectric loss of this study is very small around 0.005 up to 0.05. It is hoped that the compound ZnNd0.02Fe1,98O4 can be applied to microwave absorbing agents at high frequencies (X-band range) in antiradar detection systems.