Tailoring Structure–Property Interplay in MgAlxFe2-xO4 Nanoparticles via Aluminum Substitution

Ahmed, Roaa Ramadhan; Hamakhan, Zahraa Jabbar; Mohammad, Ali M

doi:10.24271/psr.2026.582495.2829

Tailoring Structure–Property Interplay in MgAlxFe2-xO4 Nanoparticles via Aluminum Substitution

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Roaa Ramadhan Ahmed ¹

Zahraa Jabbar Hamakhan ²

Ali M Mohammad ³

¹ Department of physiology and medical physics, College of Medicine, University of Diyala, Diyala, 32001 Iraq.

² Department of Physics, College of Science, University of Diyala, Diyala 32001, Iraq.

³ Department of Physics, College of Education, University of Garmian, Kalar 46021, Iraq.

10.24271/psr.2026.582495.2829

Abstract

MgAlxFe2-xO4 nanoparticles (x = 0, 0.2, 0.4) were successfully synthesized via a PVA-assisted thermal treatment method. XRD analysis confirmed a cubic spinel structure, with a secondary hematite phase emerging at x = 0.4. Aluminum substitution induced lattice contraction, reducing the lattice constant from 8.403 Å (x = 0.0) to 8.356 Å (x = 0.4), while crystallite sizes ranged from 11.67 nm to 17.09 nm. FTIR spectra verified structural perturbations through a blue shift in metal-oxygen vibrations, peaking at 578.64 cm-1 and 443.63 cm-1 at x = 0.2. FE-SEM imaging revealed quasi-spherical morphologies with average particle sizes of 62.63 nm to 64.23 nm, corroborated by quantitative EDS analysis. UV-Vis spectroscopy demonstrated that the direct band gap expanded from 1.52 eV to 1.79 eV at x = 0.2 due to lattice distortions, before narrowing to 1.62 eV at x = 0.4. VSM measurements confirmed a superparamagnetic behavior with negligible coercivity, where saturation magnetization decreased from 23.02emu/g to 14.34 emu/g at x = 0.2. These results highlight the tailored functional properties of the synthesized nanoferrites for advanced high-tech applications.

Keywords

Al-Mg- ferrite nanoparticles

Thermal treatment method

Magnetic properties

FT-IR

UV-Vis

Subjects