Indexing the structural parameters and investigating the magnetic properties of lanthanum doped strontium hexaferrites

Sr/sub 1-x/La/sub x/Fe/sub 12/O/sub 19/ (x= 0, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2) nano-crystallites were synthesized using a sol-gel based combustion technique. Sintering of the samples at 800 Degree C helped to develop the stable hexagonal phase. Data received from the X-ray diffraction was used to confirm and determine the crystal structure of the samples by manipulating the lattice parameters, volume of the unit cell, crystallite size, X-ray density and porosity of the samples. Room temperature magnetic measurements were performed using a vibrating sample magnetometer with an applied field of ± 10 kOe. The magnetic hysteresis loops reveal that lanthanum doping at Sr-sites has enhanced the coercivity of the samples in the series with some compromise on magnetization while remanence remains almost constant, enabling the lanthanum doped samples appropriate for hard magnetic applications. (author)