Abstract
Nanoparticles of Co
x
Zn
1−x
FeCrO
4
(x = 0.0–1.0) ferrites have been synthesized by the nitrate citrate microwave assisted route. The structural and magnetic properties were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, vibrating sample magnetometer. X-ray powder diffraction patterns confirm that the samples possess single phase cubic spinel structure. It was found that by increasing the amount of cobalt loading, the crystallite size increases [20–55 nm with increasing the Co content (x)]. The introduction of Cr
3+
ions at octahedral B sites results in the dilution of the magnetization at the B site, which will reduce the saturation magnetization. In the opposite way, replacement of non-magnetic Zn
2+
ions with ferromagnetic Co
2+
ones increases the saturation magnetization of the samples further.