Effects of Ni2+ concentration on the composition,structure, magnetic properties,and DC-bias superposition characteristics of NiCuZn ferrites

Ni_xCu_0.2Zn_yFe_1.98O₄ (x = 0.16, 0.26, 0.35, 0.43, 0.50; y = 0.8?x) ferrites were prepared via solid-state reaction. The influence of Ni²⁺ concentration on ferrites composition, microstructure, magnetic properties and DC-bias superposition characteristics was studied by XRD, SEM, XPS, and VSM. Then, the effect of magnetic properties on the DC-bias superposition characteristics was analyzed. The results showed that the ferrites sintered at 900 °C for 3 h were all in pure spinel phase with an average grain size of 7.5 μm and a relative density of about 5.15 g cm^?3. With the increase in Ni²⁺ concentration, the saturation magnetization (M_s) and coercivity (H_c) of ferrites increased, but the magnetocrystalline anisotropy constant (K₁) first increased and then decreased. And the M_s, H_c, and K₁ of the specimen with x = 0.43 were 63.62 emu·g^?1, 27.36 Oe, and 1813.17 Oe·emu·g^?1, respectively. In particular, the specimen of x = 0.50 achieved the best DC superposition characteristics, where the H_70% was about 220 A m^?1. The incremental permeability of the specimens decreased rapidly at a bias magnetic field <400 A m^?1. The variation mainly originated from the domain wall displacement, and the rate of decrease was influenced by both M_s and K₁. At a bias magnetic field ≥400 A m^?1, the incremental permeability of the specimens decreased slowly, mainly because the number of domain walls decreased until disappearing, and the specimens tended to become a single domain structure. And the rate of decrease of incremental permeability was mainly affected by K₁.