Structural, optical and magnetic properties of Tm3+ substituted cobalt spinel ferrites synthesized via sonochemical approach

Abstract Co-Tm nano-spinel ferrite with chemical formula CoTm x Fe 2−x O 4 (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.08) NPs were prepared via sonochemical approach. X-ray powder diffraction patterns, microscopic images (SEM and TEM) and infrared spectra proved the formation of Co spinel ferrite. The effect of Tm 3+ substituted on spinal structure was evaluated by lattice parameters, tetrahedral and octahedral bond length and cationic distribution. The band gap energy (Eg) of samples were estimated by performing UV–Vis percent diffuse reflectance (% DR) and applying the Kubelka-Munk theory. Eg values are in an interval between 1.33 eV and 1.64 eV. The analyses of magnetization were performed at room (300 K; RT) and low (10 K) temperatures. Different magnetic parameters including coercivity H c , saturation magnetization M s , remanence M r , squareness ratio (SQR = M r /M s ) and magnetic moment n B were deduced and discussed. The results showed superparamagnetic (SPM) nature at RT for x = 0.00 and 0.02 samples. However, the other products exhibit ferromagnetic (FM) nature. At 10 K, all synthesized NPs display FM behavior. An amazing increase in the magnitudes of M s , M r and H c was observed at 10 K in comparison to RT, which is principally due to the reduced thermal fluctuations of magnetic moments at lower temperatures. The Tm 3+ substitution affects considerably the magnetizations data. An enhancement in the M s , M r , and n B was detected on increasing the Tm 3+ concentration. The SQR values at RT are found to be smaller than 0.5 postulating a single domain nature with uniaxial anisotropy for all produced ferrites. However, SQRs are in the range 0.66–0.76 at 10 K, suggesting the multi magnetic domain at low temperature, except the x = 0.02 product where the SQR = 0.47 indicating the single magnetic domain. The obtained magnetic results were investigated deeply with relation to structural and microstructural properties.