Preparation and Structural Properties of ZnAlxFe2-xO4 Spinel Oxide

The ZnAlxFe2-xO4 (x = 0.0, 0.2 and 0.4) spinel ferrites were prepared by the conventional solid state reaction in air at 1350°C. The X-ray diffraction of all the three samples showed sharp Bragg peaks indicating the formation of a single phase spinel structure. The lattice parameters of the samples were determined from the X-ray diffraction data using the Nelson-Riley extrapolation method. The lattice parameters, cation distribution and oxygen position parameters have also been determined by refining the data by the Rietveld method. Rietveld refinement of the XRD data reveals all the samples to possess cubic symmetry corresponding to the space group Fd3m. Lattice parameters were found to decrease with increasing Al concentration, i.e. 8.4322, 8.4002, and 8.3984 A for x = 0.0, 0.2 and 0.4, respectively.