Enhanced microwave absorption features of Ba3Co2Fe24O41 hexaferrite by high lanthanium doping concentration

Controlling material structure and its electromagnetic properties, including complex permittivity and permeability, could enhance the microwave absorption performance of the material in terms of reflection loss and effective absorption bandwidth. In this study, La-substituted barium hexaferrite, Ba_3−xLa_xCo₂Fe₂₄O₄₁ (x = 0, 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5) compounds were successfully prepared using the solid-state reaction method, and their corresponding microstructures, static magnetic properties, and electromagnetic features in 2–18 GHz were investigated. The doping of La content increased saturation magnetization, coercivity, and remnant magnetization. The Ba_2.7La_0.3Co₂Fe₂₄O₄₁ epoxied sample with 3.5 mm thickness possessed an excellent microwave absorption of −47.3 dB at 3.52 GHz, and its corresponding effective absorption bandwidths were 3.75 GHz (2.25–6 GHz) and 0.57 GHz (17.43–18 GHz). It is shown that doping with various La concentrations on Ba₃Co₂Fe₂₄O₄₁ can be used as an effective technique to tune the performance of microwave absorbers based on barium hexaferrite.     

Enhanced dielectric and microwave absorption properties of LiCoO2 powders by magnesium doping in the X-band

The solid-state reaction was adopted to prepare a series of LiCo_1−xMg_xO₂ powders doped with different amount of Mg²⁺. The XRD patterns reveal single phase for all the prepared materials. The shift of the electronic structure of LiCo_1−xMg_xO₂ has been investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to confirm the single phase for material. Influence of dopant amount on the electromagnetic properties of LiCoO₂ powders was analyzed. The dielectric and the microwave absorption properties were evaluated. Results showed that with the increase in Mg the complex permittivity decreased after increasing. Maximum values of both real part (ε′ = 16.2 at 8.2 GHz) and imaginary part (ε″ = 4.1 at 8.2 GHz) were obtained for x = 0.06. Monolayer absorbent containing 75 wt% LiCo_0.94Mg_0.06O₂ had the peak microwave absorption properties in a thickness of 2.1 mm. The available bandwidth (<−10 dB) was obtained in 8.4-10.2 GHz and the minimum reflection loss was −50.4 dB, which indicated that LiCo_1−xMg_xO₂ powders would be potential materials as microwave absorption.     

Improved magnetic and electromagnetic absorption properties of xSrFe12O19/(1−x)NiFe2O4 composites

xSrFe₁₂O₁₉/(1−x)NiFe₂O₄ composites (0 ≤ x ≤ 1.0) were synthesized by using a conventional solid-state synthetic route. The results show that magnetic hysteresis loops of the xSrFe₁₂O₁₉/(1−x)NiFe₂O₄ composites are similar to those of individual component ferrites, except for the 0.1SrFe₁₂O₁₉/0.9NiFe₂O₄ and 0.3SrFe₁₂O₁₉/0.7NiFe₂O₄, suggesting that the hard/soft magnetic phases are well exchange-coupled. The saturation magnetization, coercivity, and remanent magnetization of the xSrFe₁₂O₁₉/(1−x)NiFe₂O₄ composites are increased with increasing content of SrFe₁₂O₁₉, with maximal values of 42.1 Am² kg⁻¹, 78.7 kA m⁻¹, 17.2 Am² kg⁻¹, respectively, as the content x is about 0.5. They are higher than those of the individual components, implying that interface coupling is present in the magnetic composites. The coercivity and remanent magnetization of the composites are increased initially with increasing sintering temperature and then show a downward tendency. For the component SrFe₁₂O₁₉ and NiFe₂O₄, the minimum reflection losses are −12.5 dB and −18.3 dB at match thicknesses of 2.5 mm and 2 mm, respectively. Compared with those of the component SrFe₁₂O₁₉ and NiFe₂O₄, the microwave absorption performances of the xSrFe₁₂O₁₉/(1−x)NiFe₂O₄ composites are improved remarkably, especially for the samples of x = 0.3 and x = 0.9. The minimum reflection losses values of the 0.3SrFe₁₂O₁₉/0.7NiFe₂O₄ composite are −31.6 dB (12.7 GHz) and −20.2 dB (13 GHz), while those of the 0.9SrFe₁₂O₁₉/0.1NiFe₂O₄ composites are −23.7 dB (16.3 GHz) and −33.5 dB (15.8 GHz), as the matching thicknesses are 2.5 mm and 2 mm, respectively. Therefore, the xSrFe₁₂O₁₉/(1−x)NiFe₂O₄ composites could be used as potential microwave absorption materials.     

Effect of La-Ni substitution on structural,magnetic and microwave absorption properties of barium ferrite

In this paper, La-Ni substituted barium ferrite nanoparticles were prepared by a co-precipitation method. The morphology, structure, magnetic and microwave absorption properties of samples were accomplished by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscope (TEM), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and vector network analysis. From the results evaluation, it can be seen that the magnetoplumbite structure for all of the samples have been formed and the average crystallite sizes of Ba_1−xLa_xFe_12−xNi_xO₁₉ nanoparticles within in the range of 50.9–65.5 nm. Ba_0.9La_0.1Fe_11.9Ni_0.1O₁₉ exhibits a remarkable reflection loss of −13.5 dB at 13.05 GHz with a matching thickness of 1.5 mm. The reflection loss results indicate that Ba_0.9La_0.1Fe_11.9Ni_0.1O₁₉ nanoparticles may be used as a potential for thin microwave absorbers.     

Lattice evolution and microwave dielectric properties of La-doped yttrium aluminum garnet ceramics

In this study, Y_3−xLa_xAl₅O₁₂ (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.09) ceramics were synthesized, and the phase composition, lattice evolution, and microwave dielectric properties were investigated in detail. Scanning electron microscopy confirms that the addition of moderate amounts of La₂O₃ improves the grain development of YAG ceramics, but excessive doping destabilizes the crystal structure. Transmission electron microscopy characterization shows that the variation of the dielectric properties of the samples with x-value is related to the occurrence of benign dislocation structures caused by modifications in the type and content of the A-site rare-earth ions. The variations in relative density, dielectric constant, and quality factor remain basically coordinated. The optimum microwave dielectric properties of La³⁺ doped YAG samples are exhibited as ε_r = 10.61, Q × f = 187, 542 GHz, τ_f = −31.2 ppm/°C when La₂O₃ is doped at x = 0.015.     

Effect of Sr doped the YFeO3 rare earth ortho-ferrite on structure,magnetic properties,and microwave absorption performance

Given the remarkable performances of rare earth multiferroic ortho-ferrites with magnetic optical and dielectric properties, the Y_1-xSr_xFeO₃ (x = 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.15) perovskite structure microwave absorbing ferrite materials was successfully synthesized by Sr²⁺ ions A-site doping based on sol-gel technology in this paper. The XRD of all samples was refined with FullProf software, which confirmed the formation of the orthogonal perovskite structure (SG: Pnma). The SEM and TEM results display the average particles size of the samples is distributed between 110 and 160 nm. The increase of Sr doping concentration leads to the increase of particles size, which may be related to the growth of preferred orientation and incomplete substitution. The XPS analysis shows that Fe³⁺ was accompanied by the presence of Fe²⁺ with the doping of Sr²⁺ ions and oxygen vacancies increased significantly. The samples change from weak ferromagnetic state to paramagnetic state with the increase of Sr content. The minimum reflection loss (RL) of the Y_0.95Sr_0.05FeO₃ samples at 12.2 GHz reached −30.87 dB with thickness of 2.2 mm, where its effective absorption bandwidth (EAB, RL ≤ −10 dB) reached 2.4 GHz (11.3–13.7 GHz). Moreover, the EAB of the Y_0.85Sr_0.15FeO₃ samples reached 2.64 GHz, and the corresponding range is 9.0–11.6 GHz (X-band).     

Impact of Mg-Zr substitution on the magnetic and microwave absorption properties of BaFe12-2xMgxZrxO19 (0.25 ≤ x ≤ 1.5)

In this study, magnesium-zirconium–substituted M-type barium hexaferrites BaFe_12-2xMg+_xZr_xO₁₉ (BFMZO, 0.25 ≤ x ≤ 1.5) nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by sol-gel autocombustion technique. On one hand, the effects of Mg-Zr substitution concentration on the magnetic features of doped magnetic nanoparticles were investigated which showed that increasing the doping concentration causes the saturation magnetization to decrease. On the other hand, the influence of the different layer thicknesses (2, 3, and 4 mm) of BFMZO on the microwave absorption was investigated in X-band frequencies (8-12 GHz). Absorption results showed that increasing the film thickness from 2 to 3 mm causes microwave absorption to increase. Moreover, the morphological study reveals that aggregation percentage decreased when the substitution concentration increased. Therefore, size, magnetic, and absorption properties are tunable by substitution concentration.     

Controlled synthesis of Fe3O4@SnO2/RGO nanocomposite for microwave absorption enhancement

A ternary nanocomposite of Fe₃O₄@SnO₂/reduced graphene oxide (RGO) with different contents of SnO₂ nanoparticles was synthesized by a simple and efficient three-step method. The transmission electron microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy characterization display that plenty of Fe₃O₄@SnO₂ core–shell structure nanoparticles are well distributed on the surface of RGO sheets. The X-ray diffractograms show that the products consist of highly crystallized cubic Fe₃O₄, tetragonal SnO₂ and disorderedly stacked RGO sheets. The magnetic hysteresis measurement reveals the ferromagnetic behavior of the products at room temperature. The microwave absorption properties of paraffin containing 50 wt% products were investigated at room temperature in the frequency range of 2–18 GHz by a vector network analyzer. The electromagnetic data show that the maximum reflection loss is −45.5 dB and −29.5 dB for Fe₃O₄@SnO₂/RGO-1 and Fe₃O₄@SnO₂/RGO-2 nanocomposite, respectively. Meanwhile, the reflection loss less than −10 dB is up to 14.4 GHz and 13.8 GHz for Fe₃O₄@SnO₂/RGO-1 and Fe₃O₄@SnO₂/RGO-2 nanocomposite, respectively. It is believed that such nanocomposite could be used as promising microwave absorbers.     

Effect of Ce3+ doping on phase and microwave dielectric properties of 0.94MgTiO3−0.06(Ca0.8Sr0.2)TiO3 ceramics

In this study, 0.94Mg_(1-3x/2)Ce_xTiO₃−0.06(Ca_0.8Sr_0.2)TiO₃ (MCe_xT−CST, 0≤x≤0.01) composite ceramics were prepared at a low temperature of 1175°C by using the 50-nm-sized powders. The effects of Ce³⁺ doping on crystalline phase, microstructure, and microwave dielectric properties of MCe_xT−CST were studied. A main ilmenite (Mg,Ce)TiO₃ phase and a minor perovskite (Ca_0.8Sr_0.2)TiO₃ phase coexist well with the appearance of impurity MgTi₂O₅ phase in MCe_xT−CST. The dielectric properties of MCe_xT−CST are affected by the molecular polarizability, the impurity phase, and the Ce³⁺ doping. The replacement of Mg²⁺ by high valence Ce³⁺ could effectively inhibit the formation of oxygen vacancy, resulting in the enhancement of Q×f. When x = 0.005, MCe_xT−CST exhibits microwave dielectric properties with a moderate ε_r of 21.5, a high Q×f of 67 000 GHz, and a near-zero τ_f of −0.74 ppm/°C. The results reveal that the Ce³⁺ substitution is a prospective approach to optimize the microwave dielectric properties of MgTiO₃-based ceramics.     

Microwave Sintering of Nanocrystalline Ni1−xZnxFe2O4 Ferrite Powder and Their Magnetic Properties

Nanocrystalline Ni_1?xZn_xFe₂O₄ (0 ≤ x ≤ 1.0) powder with grain size of 30 nm was prepared using the spraying‐coprecipitation method. The obtained nanocrystalline Ni_1?xZn_xFe₂O₄ powder was sintered using conventional and microwave sintering techniques. The results show that the microstructure and magnetic properties of the sintered samples are obviously improved by microwave sintering of nanocrystalline Ni_1?xZn_xFe₂O₄ ferrite powder. The initial permeability of Ni_1?xZn_xFe₂O₄ ferrite increases with the increase in zinc concentration, although its resonance frequencies shift from high frequency to low frequency. The maximum initial permeability for microwave‐sintered Ni_0.4Zn_0.6Fe₂O₄ ceramic obtained at the temperature of 1170°C for 30 min reaches up to 360.9, and its resonance frequency is ~10 MHz. It may be attributed to the nanocrystalline Ni_1?xZn_xFe₂O₄ raw powder as well as the microwave sintering process, which results in a synergistic effect on improvement of the microstructure and magnetic properties.     

Ultra low loss (Mg1 − xCax)2SiO4 dielectric ceramics (x = 0 to 0.15) for millimeter wave applications

(Mg_{1 − x}Ca_x)₂SiO₄ dense ceramics (x ≥ 0.15) were prepared, and their microwave dielectric characteristics were investigated together with the structure evolution. The sintering temperature for Mg₂SiO₄ ceramics was reduced significantly with Ca²⁺substitution. (Mg_{1 − x}Ca_x)₂SiO₄ ceramics exhibited a small increase in dielectric constant (ε_r) correlated with increased crystallite size, and ultra-high quality factor Qf value was achieved throughout the compositional range. Temperature coefficient of resonant frequency (τ_f) was considerably tuned from −70 ppm/°C to −33 ppm/°C, and this improvement was deeply linked with the decreased bond valance. At x = 0.075, (Mg_{1 − x}Ca_x)₂SiO₄ ceramics exhibited the best combination of microwave dielectric characteristics: ε_r = 7.2, Qf = 199,800 GHz at 26 GHz, τ_f = −33 ppm/°C. The present ceramics could be expected as promising candidate of dielectric materials for millimeter wave applications.     

Synthesis and microwave absorption properties of Ni–Zn–Mn spinel ferrites

A series of Ni_0·5?xZn_0·3?xMn_0·2+2xFe₂O₄ ferrites was successfully prepared by the sol–gel autocombustion method. The structure and electromagnetic properties of the powders were characterised by X-ray diffraction, SEM and vector network analysis. The pure powders were formed by heating at 1200°C for 3 h in air, and grain sizes increased as the amount of substitution ranged from x?=?0·0 to x?=?0·25. For samples with x?=?0·1, a minimum reflection loss of ?27·57 dB was observed at 11·0 GHz with the less than ?10 dB absorption bandwidth at 8·0 GHz with 3·8 mm thickness. The results indicate that substitution with Mn and Zn ions can greatly improve the microwave absorption properties of NiFe₂O₄ ferrites.     

ZrxCo0.8−xNi0.2−xFe2O4-graphene nanocomposite for enhanced structural,dielectric and visible light photocatalytic applications

Zirconium doped nickel cobalt ferrite (Zr_xCo_0.8−xNi_0.2−xFe₂O₄) nanoparticles and Zr_xCo_0.8−xNi_0.2−xFe₂O₄-graphene nanocomposites were synthesized by a cheap and facile co-precipitation method. Annealing was done at 750 °C for 6.5 h. Spinel cubic structure of prepared nanoparticles was confirmed by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) technique. Crystalline size of nanoparticles was observed in the range of 18–27 nm. Graphene was synthesized by Hummer's method. Formation of rGO was confirmed by UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis) and XRD. Zr_xCo_0.8−xNi_0.2−xFe₂O₄-graphene nanocomposites were prepared by ultra-sonication route. Grain size of nanoparticles and dispersion of nanoparticles between rGO layers was determined by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In application studies of nanoparticles and their nanocomposites, photocatalytic efficiency of nanoparticles under visible light irradiation was observed by degradation of methylene blue. Charge transfer resistance was measured by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and the variation in dc electrical resistivity was analyzed by room temperature current voltage characteristics (I-V). Dielectric constant was also evaluated in frequency range from 1 MHz to 3 GHz. All these investigations confirmed the possible utilization of these materials for a variety of applications such as visible light photocatalysis, high frequency devices fabrication etc.     

Dielectric and gyromagnetic structure modulations of Zn–Sn codoped yttrium–iron–garnet based on the density-generalized functional theory and P–V–L bond theory

Herein, the crystal structure, dielectric properties, and gyromagnetic characteristics of Zn–Sn codoped Y₃Zn_xSn_xFe_5−2xO₁₂ (x = 0.0–0.5) prepared using a conventional ceramic process were investigated. According to the first-principles’ calculations and complex crystal bonding theory, Zn²⁺–Sn⁴⁺ codoping can increase the relative dielectric constant (ε_r) by enhancing the average ionicity. The x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman analysis results indicate that an appropriate amount of Zn²⁺–Sn⁴⁺ codoping can help improve the microscopic morphology, maintain the appropriate ratio of divalent iron ions, and reduce the microwave magnetic and electrical losses of YIG ferrites. The optimized microwave properties are as follows. Y₃Zn_0.3Sn_0.3Fe_4.4O₁₂ after sintering at 1400°C; ε_r = 15.6; dielectric loss, that is, tanδ_ε = 4.3 × 10⁻⁴; saturation magnetization, that is, 4πM_S = 2244 G; ferromagnetic resonance linewidth, that is, ΔH = 37 Oe. These properties can help improve the performance of high-frequency microwave components by enhancing the properties of ferrite.     

Structure and microwave dielectric characteristics of Sr2[Ti1−x(Al0.5Nb0.5)x]O4 (x ≤ 0.50) ceramics

Sr₂[Ti_1−x(Al_0.5Nb_0.5)_x]O₄ (x = 0, 0.10, 0.25, 0.30, 0.5) ceramics were synthesized by a standard solid-state reaction process. Sr₂[Ti_1−x(Al_0.5Nb_0.5)_x]O₄ solid solutions with tetragonal Ruddlesdon-Popper (R-P) structure in space group I4/mmm were obtained within x ≤ 0.50, and only minor amount (1-2 wt%) of Sr₃Ti₂O₇ secondary phase was detected for the compositions x ≥ 0.25. The temperature coefficient of resonant frequency τ_f of Sr₂[Ti_1−x(Al_0.5Nb_0.5)_x]O₄ ceramics was significantly improved from 132 to 14 ppm/°C correlated with the increase in degree of covalency (%) with increasing x. The dielectric constant ɛ_r decreased linearly with increasing x, while high Qf value was maintained though it decreased firstly. The variation tendency of Qf value was dependent on the trend of packing fraction combined with the microstructure. Good combination of microwave dielectric properties was achieved for x = 0.50: ɛ_r = 25.1, Qf = 77 580 GHz, τ_f = 14 ppm/°C. The present ceramics could be expected as new candidates of ultra-high Q microwave dielectric materials without noble element such as Ta.     

Formation of anisotropic grains and modified ferroelectric properties in Cr-doped Bi5FeTi3O15 thin films

Aurivillius phase Bi₅Cr_xFe_1−xTi₃O₁₅ (0≤ x ≤1) thin films are prepared by the chemical solution deposition method, and the effect of Cr content on the microstructure, ferroelectric property, and electric transport behavior of Bi₅Cr_xFe_1−xTi₃O₁₅ films is investigated. X-ray diffraction analysis shows that all of Bi₅Cr_xFe_1−xTi₃O₁₅ films are complete solid solution and maintain the Aurivillius structure. The replacement of Fe³⁺ with smaller Cr³⁺ decreases anisotropy and lattice aspect ratio in a-b plane, which is minimized at the composition of Bi₅Cr_0.5Fe_0.5Ti₃O₁₅. This changes the grain shape from sphere to plate, and Bi₅Cr_0.5Fe_0.5Ti₃O₁₅ film consists of only plate-like grains. Cr doping increases saturated polarization (P_m) and decreases coercive field (E_c). Cr doping increases P_m of Bi₅Cr_xFe_1−xTi₃O₁₅ film to 35 μC/cm², but decreases E_c down to 125 kV/cm. A decrease in the lattice aspect ratio of a-b plane promotes the alignment of ferroelectric dipoles under electric field. The frequency-dependent dielectric property and the leakage current show that the plate-like grains of Cr-rich Bi₅Cr_xFe_1−xTi₃O₁₅ films suppress the transport of carriers from grains to grains and prevents a dramatic leakage current increase. The results of this study provide a design rule to control the ferroelectricity of Aurivillius phase Bi₅Cr_xFe_1−xTi₃O₁₅ thin films by modifying the composition and lattice aspect ratio.     

Effects of ion polarizability and oxygen vacancy on microwave dielectric properties of fluorite-structured Ce1−xCaxO2−x

X-ray diffractometer with Rietveld refinement and Raman spectroscopy were used for phase analysis. Ca doping results in decreased ε_r (24.09–21.52), Q × f (68 914–40 110 GHz), and τ_f (−50.0 ppm/°C to −60.2 ppm/°C) all decrease, which obviously does not conform to the mutual constraint relationship among the three parameters of microwave dielectric properties. The ε_r of Ce_1−xCa_xO_2−x ceramics is affected by the ion polarizability and the Ce rattling and valence states, among which the rattling of Ce cations plays a dominant role. The presence of oxygen vacancies in Ce_1−xCa_xO_2−x ceramics explains the decrease in Q × f. The τ_ε, ε_r, and α_L are responsible for the decrease in τ_f, especially for the τ_αm-3α_L values.     

Optimized phase compositions and microwave dielectric properties of low loss Ca2Sn2Al2O9-based ceramics by M4+ substitution

The traditional solid-state reaction method was used to prepare Ca₂Sn_2−xM_xAl₂O₉ (M = Ti, Zr, and Hf) ceramics. Then, the impact of an M⁴⁺ substitution of Sn⁴⁺ on the phase transition, crystal structural parameter, and microwave dielectric properties of Ca₂Sn_2−xM_xAl₂O₉ (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.4) ceramics were investigated. Ti⁴⁺ could not replace the Sn⁴⁺ of Ca₂Sn₂Al₂O₉ due to its small ionic radius, and the Al-based second phases of Ca₂Sn_2−xTi_xAl₂O₉ ceramics were confirmed by the X-ray diffractometer and EDS map scanning results. With the Zr⁴⁺ and Hf⁴⁺ substitutions of Sn⁴⁺, the SnO₂ and CaSnO₃ second phases of Ca₂Sn₂Al₂O₉ ceramic were inhibited, and the Ca₂Sn_2−xM_xAl₂O₉ (M = Zr and Hf) (0.05 ≤ x ≤ 0.2) single-phase ceramics with orthorhombic structure (Pbcn space group) were obtained. New MO₂ (M = Zr and Hf) and CaAl₂O₄ second phases appeared in the Ca₂Sn_2−xM_xAl₂O₉ (M = Zr and Hf) (0.3 ≤ x ≤ 0.4) ceramics, and their contents increased gradually with the increase in x. The Ca₂Sn_2−xM_xAl₂O₉ (M = Zr and Hf) (0.05 ≤ x ≤ 0.2) ceramics exhibited high Q × f because of their pure phase compositions, and the Q × f of Ca₂Sn₂Al₂O₉ ceramic was improved to 77 800 GHz (12.6 GHz) in the Ca₂Sn_1.9Zr_0.1Al₂O₉ ceramic. The Q × f values of Ca₂Sn_2−xM_xAl₂O₉ single-phase ceramics were mainly controlled by r_c (Sn/M–O) and r_c (Al–O). The τ_f values of single-phase Ca₂Sn_2−xM_xAl₂O₉ ceramics were related to octahedral distortions. The Zr⁴⁺ and Hf⁴⁺ substitution of Sn⁴⁺ optimized the phase compositions and microwave dielectric properties of the Ca₂Sn_2−xM_xAl₂O₉ ceramics, and the Ca₂Sn_1.9Zr_0.1Al₂O₉ ceramic sintered at optimal temperature exhibited excellent microwave dielectric properties (ε_r = 8.67, Q × f = 77 800 GHz at 12.6 GHz and τ_f = −69.8 ppm/°C).     

Optimization of electromagnetic matching of Ba1-xCaxFe11.4Co0.6O19 (0.2 ≤ x ≤ 0.8) ceramics for microwave absorption within 2.6–18 GHz

The Ba_1-xCa_xFe_11.4Co_0.6O₁₉ (x = 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8) composites with wide-bandwidth and good absorption performance were prepared. The M_S of ceramics increases from about 62.4 to 83.4 emu g⁻¹ as x rises from 0 to 0.6, which demonstrates that the desirable magnetic properties of such ceramics is obtained by adjusting the content of Ca²⁺. A bandwidth of reflection loss (RL) below - 5 dB can be obtained for frequencies from 5.9 to 18 GHz with the Ba_0.4Ca_0.6Fe_11.4Co_0.6O₁₉ ceramic and a thickness of 2.0 mm, and a larger RL value of −34.1 dB is observed at 8.2 GHz for the Ba_0.6Ca_0.4Fe_11.4Co_0.6O₁₉ ceramic. These results suggest the developed ceramics could act as effective and wide-bandwidth microwave absorbing materials to meet commercial and military applications.     

Effectiveness of Ni incorporation in iron oxide crystal structure towards thermochemical CO2 splitting reaction

In this study, Ni-doped iron oxide (Ni_xFe_3−xO₄) materials were synthesized via the 1,2-epoxypropane assisted sol-gel method by varying the molar concentration of Ni from x=0.2 to 1. Sol-gel derived Ni_xFe_3−xO₄ gels were dried and the dried powder was further calcined upto 600 °C in air for 90 min. Obtained calcined Ni_xFe_3−xO₄ powders were further analyzed to determine the phase composition, crystallite size, specific surface area, pore volume, and morphology via powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), BET surface area analysis (BET), as well as scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM). The obtained results in the synthesis and characterization section indicate formation of Ni_xFe_3−xO₄ nanoparticles with high specific surface area. Thermal reduction and re-oxidation of the sol-gel synthesized Ni_xFe_3−xO₄ materials were determined by using the high temperature thermogravimetry. Obtained results indicate that the amount of O₂ released during the thermal reduction step (at 1400 °C) and quantity of CO produced during the CO₂ splitting step (at 1000 °C) increases as the concentration of Ni inside the iron oxide crystal structure increases. The highest amounts of O₂ released (221.88 μmol/g) and CO produced (375.01 μmol/g) in case of NiFe₂O₄ (NF10 material).