Effect of Trivalent Ion Substitution on the Physical Properties of M-Type Hexagonal Ferrites

Aluminum-substituted barium hexagonal ferrite particles BaAl _x Fe_12-x O₁₉ with 0 ≤ x ≤ 3.5 have been prepared by solid state reaction method. The qualitative phase analysis of studied powder samples and the morphology of powders after milling were determined using the x-ray diffraction method and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. The barium hexagonal ferrite phase appeared to be the main component of the samples. The crystal size of BaFe₁₂O₁₉ phase is above 25 nm. The scanning electron microscopy images showed irregular shape and size of powder particles. According to the analytical method findings, the type of crystal lattice was confirmed to be hexagonal and the parameters of unit cell volume and x-ray density were determined. It is shown that such parameters decrease with increasing Al substitution from 699.019 to 696.702 Å³ and 5.258 to 4.828 gm/Cm³, respectively. The values of lattice parameters, grain size, microstrain, and dislocation density of all samples were calculated. The c/a value obtained from the x-ray indicates that notable changes of the atomic lattice anisotropy were induced by the Al-substitution and preheat treatments. Characteristics such as the interchain distance and interplanar distance parameter, which were obtained in the analytical method calculations, decrease with increasing Al substitution, in addition to the fact that they are related to the binding energy.