Title: Structural, microstructural and magnetic properties of 1% Fe-doped ZnO powder nanostructures prepared by mechanical alloying

Authors: Salah Oudjertli; Rachid Bensalem; Safia Alleg; Joan Joseph Suñol; Miloud Ibrir

Addresses: Laboratoire des Nanomateriaux-Corrosion et Traitements de Surfaces, Département de Physique, Université Badji Mokhtar Annaba, B. P. 12 (23000), Algeria ' Laboratoire des Nanomateriaux-Corrosion et Traitements de Surfaces, Département de Physique, Université Badji Mokhtar Annaba, B. P. 12 (23000), Algeria ' Laboratoire de Magnétisme et Spectroscopie des Solides, Département de Physique, Université Badji Mokhtar Annaba, B. P. 12 (23000), Algeria ' Dep. de Fisica, Universitat de Girona, Campus Montilivi, Girona 17071, Spain ' Laboratoire de Physique des Matériaux et ses Applications, Faculty of Science, Department of Physics, Université de M'Sila, B. P. 166, 28000 M'Sila, Algeria

Abstract: ZnO powder nanoparticles were doped with iron (mixing produced by mechanical alloying). Their structure, microstructure and magnetic properties were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). ZnO starting pure powder exhibits a hexagonal crystal structure with space group P63mc. Otherwise, with the addition of 1% Fe in the ZnO milled powder, the hexagonal ZnO phase remained unchanged, whereas the microstructural parameters were subject to significant variations due to the introduction of Fe atoms into the ZnO hexagonal matrix to replace oxygen ones. The size of crystallites and microstrains were milling time-dependent.

Keywords: microstructure; ZnO nanopowders; zinc oxide; mechanical alloying; XRD; SEM; VSM; structural properties; magnetic properties; iron doping; nanotechnology; nanoparticles.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNT.2015.068889

International Journal of Nanotechnology, 2015 Vol.12 No.8/9, pp.685 - 696

Published online: 17 Apr 2015 *

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