Structural, elastic and magnetic properties of Ca doped copper ferrite nanoparticles

Calcium doped Copper ferrite (CaxCu1-xFe2O4, x = 0.0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3) nanoparticles were prepared by co-precipitation method. The effect of calcium doping in structural, elastic and magnetic properties of copper ferrite were explored by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and Vibrating Sample magnetometer (VSM). X-ray diffraction verified the single phase cubic spinel structure and hematite phase also present in x = 0.02 with the space group Fd3m. The average crystallite size ranged in 44–58 nm and increased with increasing Ca concentration. Scanning electron microscope images showed that the ferrite particles seem in spherical shape with agglomeration. The Fourier transform infrared spectrum showed the two main absorption bands of spinel structure in the wavenumber scale of 476–576 cm−1 assigned to the stretching vibration of A and B sites. The three types of moduli of elasticity, Poisson's ratio, velocities of elastic waves and Debye temperature estimated using FTIR. Vibrating Sample magnetometer exhibited the room temperature ferromagnetic behavior and coercivity decreases with Ca concentration while saturation magnetization increases. •Ca-doped copper ferrite nanoparticles were synthesized by co - precipitation method.•The ionic radii, bond lengths, and hopping lengths were determined using XRD.•Different elastic parameters were estimated using FTIR.•Ca-doping improved the magnetic properties of Copper ferrite nanoparticles.•The RT ferromagnetism was observed in all samples.