Abstract
MgCo2O4 samples were synthesized by inverse co-precipitation method. The formation of a single-phase spinel structure was confirmed by X-ray diffraction measurements and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The samples crystallized in a face-centered cubic structure with Fd-3m space group as revealed from the Rietveld refinement of X-ray diffraction data. Magnetic measurements carried out in a broad temperature range of 5-300 K showed antiferromagnetic to paramagnetic phase transition (Neel temperature) observed at 101 K. Magnetic susceptibility data fitted using the Curie Weiss law and effective Bohr magnetic moment ((eff)) for Co atoms was determined. Calculated (eff) comes out to be 3.05 (B). These results were correlated to the spin states of Co3+ atoms. A small hysteresis in the field-dependent magnetization MH loop taken at 5 K indicates the existence of weak ferromagnetism in this system. The electrical resistivity measurement in the temperature range 77-750 K displayed the semiconducting-like behavior for this system.