Radiation induced structural and electric properties of Al-Substituted NiCuCd nanoparticles

Abstract

The effect of gamma (γ) irradiations on the physical, magnetic and electrical properties of nanoferrites samples with a chemical formula of Ni0.5Cu0.2Cd0.3Fe2-xAlxO4 have studied. These samples have prepared by sol-gel auto combustion method. The synthesized samples have irradiated for γ rays from 60Co source at room temperature with a dose of 1 and 3 MRad, at a dose rate of 1.067 MRad/h. X-ray diffraction (XRD) parameters, magnetization, dielectric constant, dielectric loss factor, electric modulus, impedance and ac conductivity have analyzed for the irradiated samples. XRD patterns show that the irradiation has caused a change in the lattice constant due to ions redistribution. The lattice constant of the investigated samples has increased with the increase in irradiation (gamma) due to the conversion of Fe3+ (0.67Å) to Fe2+ (0.76Å). Moreover, the cation redistribution play an important role in increasing the values of ac conductivity with increasing the irradiation (gamma) dose. The magnetization has measured by using Vibrating Sample Magnetometer at room temperature with an applied field of 1.5 T (in μ0H) after irradiation (gamma) by different doses. The saturation magnetization initially increase with irradiation. The frequency dependence of conductivity, dielectric constant, and dielectric loss has been studied. The Cole-Cole plots of (Z// vs Z/) give different two over lapping incomplete semicircles depending upon the electrical parameters. Also, the modulus plots of (M// vs M/) insure that the electric stiffness is the dominant property of the investigated samples. Electrical and dielectric properties have carried out with the influence of γ irradiation and interpret using existing theories.