Cation Distribution in Zn Doped Cobalt Nanoferrites Determined by X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy

Information on local crystal and electronic structure with elemental specificity is of paramount importance to understand many scientific problems. X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) is particularly suited for this. Spinel structured ferrites exhibit a range of electrical and magnetic properties that make them particularly appealing for many technological applications such as permanent magnets, microwave absorbers, catalysts, and chemical sensors. Since the peculiar properties of ferrites are strictly related to the distribution of cations between octahedral and tetrahedral sites in the spinel structure, the control of cation distribution provides a means to tailor their properties. An EXAFS study of Co x Zn 1− x Fe 2 O 4 nanoparticles is presented here. Using this technique, the information about the site distribution for Fe and Co/Zn is determined. The information obtained on the cation distribution is important to understand the microstructure of spinel ferrites which is useful to study their effects on structural, electrical, and magnetic properties.