Author(s)

Mohamed Ali Ahmed¹, Kasim El-Sayed Rady^2*, Kamel Mohamed El-Shokrofy², Ahmed Abo Arais³, Mohamed Said Shams³

¹Materials Science Laboratory, Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
²Engineering Basic Sciences Department, Faculty of Engineering, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Kom, Egypt.
³Department of Physics and Engineering Mathematics, Faculty of Electronic Engineering, Menoufia University, Al Minufya, Egypt.

The effect of Zn²⁺ ions on the microstructure and electrical properties of Mn_1-xZn_xFe₂O₄ (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.5 in steps of 0.1) through a solid state reaction has been investigated. The structural properties have been investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique. The XRD analysis confirms that all samples are in a single-phase cubic spinel structure. The experimental lattice parameter (a_exp) was decreased with increasing Zn²⁺ ions substitution due to the smaller ionic radius of zinc content. The crystallite size (t) of samples was estimated by Scherrer’s formula and found in the range (90 - 115 nm). Dc electrical resistivity and Seebeck voltage coefficients were measured as a function of temperature using the two probe methods. The temperature variation of resistivity exhibits two breaks, each break referring to a change in the activation energy. The Curie temperature estimated from dc resistivity measurement decreases with increasing Zn²⁺ ions. Seebeck voltage coefficient measurements reveal n-type conduction for all samples.

Mn-Zn Ferrite, XRD, Microstructure, IR, DC Resistivity, Seeback Coefficient

Ahmed, M. , Rady, K. , El-Shokrofy, K. , Arais, A. and Shams, M. (2014) The Influence of Zn²⁺ Ions Substitution on the Microstructure and Transport Properties of Mn-Zn Nanoferrites. Materials Sciences and Applications, 5, 932-942. doi: 10.4236/msa.2014.513095.