Synthesis and magnetic properties of Zn1-xMnxFe2O4 nanoparticles

Zn1-xMnxFe2O4 nanoparticles were synthesized through a hydrothermal process at 180 deg. C. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) studies show an increase in particle size with the increasing of Mn concentration. The saturation magnetization (Ms) of Zn1-xMnxFe2O4 measured by vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) is found to increase rapidly at first and then slowly augments with the increasing of Mn concentration. Moessbauer spectroscopy analysis reveals that the spectra change from a paramagnetic double peak to hyperfine magnetic sextets and the Zn0.2Mn0.8Fe2O4 nanoparticles have 43% inversion occupancy on the tetrahedral sites by Fe3+ cations, while this value increases to 47% in the MnFe2O4 sample. The results show that the occupancy of cations on A and B sites affects magnetic properties of spinel ferrite nanoparticles