Impact of crystallites on enhancement of bandgap of Mn1-xZnxFe2O4 (1 ≥ x ≥ 0) nanospinels

Abstract Zinc substituted manganese ferrite Mn1-xZnxFe2O4(x = 0.00, 0.20, 0.40, 0.60, 0.80, 1.00) magnetic nanoparticles were synthesized using low cost and environmental friendly co-precipitation method. The structural, infrared and optical properties of synthesized material were characterized by XRD, TEM, FTIR, EDX and UV–Vis spectroscopy respectively. The XRD result confirmed the formation of good crystallization with a single-phase cubic spinel structure and Fd3m space group. Also determined crystallite size decreases from (20–10 nm). The FTIR spectra confirmed the formation of ferrite phase and tetrahedral and octahedral vibrations. The UV–Vis spectroscopy determines the direct energy bandgap which increases from ~2.26 to ~2.63 eV.