Structural and magnetic properties of gadolinium substituted Mn0.6Zn0.4GdxFe2−xO4 (x = 0–0.1) spinel ferrite

Soft magnetic ferrites Mn 0.6 Zn 0.4 Gd x Fe 2- x O 4 ( x  = 0, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08 and 0.1) have been synthesized using a solvothermal method. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed the structure of Gd 3+ doped Mn-Zn ferrite was spinel structure. In response to an increase in Gd 3+ content, the lattice constant of the sample increased and then decreased, and the largest lattice constant was 8.452 Å with x  = 0.04. The crystallite size varied between 14.7 and 18 nm. M−H data revealed that all samples are soft magnetic and characterized by the larger saturation magnetization, low remnant magnetization and coercively. We found that the Gd 3+ ions substituted into Fe 3+ ion sites and resulted an increase in Gd 3+ content from x  = 0 to x  = 0.1, which lead to the saturation magnetization first increased then decreased. The maximum saturation magnetization value of Mn 0.6 Zn 0.4 Gd x Fe 2- x O 4 was 90.1 emu/g with x  = 0.04, which suggested the Mn 0.6 Zn 0.4 Gd 0.04 Fe 1.96 O 4 was magnetically responsive, and could be used in hyperthermia tumor applications.