Electrical, magnetotransport and magnetization studies of (1-x) La0.7Sr0.3Mn0.94Co0.06O3/x ZnO (x = 0, 0.04) composite

•The aim of ZnO doping in this composite system was to introduce nonmagnetic phase in the surface or interface of LSMCO grains and to study the effect on the electrical transport and magnetoresistive properties.•ZnO is a non-magnetic insulating material and the Zn2+ is a nonmagnetic ion.•Conduction mechanism clearly indicated that the electronic transport and magnetoresistance behavior were strongly affected by introducing secondary phase into the pure LSMCO sample. We have investigated the electrical transport, magnetotransport and magnetic properties of (1-x) La0.7Sr0.3Mn0.94Co0.06O3(LSMCO)/x ZnO (x = 0, 0.04) composite samples to explore the role of the secondary phase. The results of Rietveld refined X-ray diffraction (XRD) data show that the prepared LSMCO sample possesses a rhombohedral structure in the hexagonal lattice and the same reveal that both the compounds in the composite maintain their identities, that is, there is no evidence of reaction between the LSMCO and ZnO. It has been observed that the addition of the ZnO phase into the pure LMSCO sample lowers the metal–insulator transition temperature (TMI). The electrical resistivity was explored by various theoretical models below & above the metal–insulator transition temperature. In the case of a composite sample (x = 0.04), the high field magnetoresistance has been observed at around room temperature. In the magnetic study, the saturation of magnetization decreases in the case of ZnO added LSMCO sample.