Influences of γ–Radiation and Surfactants on Electrical and Magnetic Properties of Cu0.1Zn0.9Mn2O4 Nanoparticles

Nanosized Cu0.1Zn0.9Mn2O4 were prepared by hydrothermal method in absence and presence of surfactants. The samples were characterized using XRD, SEM and TEM. All samples showed spinel crystal structure with crystallite sizes depending on the preparation method and lay in the range of 17-89 nm. Electrical conductivity as a function of frequency and temperature has been studied. The conductivity results showed that all investigated samples behave like semiconductors and could be explained by hopping mechanism in which the conduction occurres via electron exchange amongst Mn+ and Mn+1 ions situated on octahedral sites in spinel lattice. Room temperature magnetic properties using VSM were studied. Effect of γ-radiation on the studied properties is investigated. Each of particle size, morphology, magnetic and electrical properties is affected with each of the type of surfactant used in the preparation method and γ- irradiation process.