Investigation of electrical, magnetic, and optical properties of silver-substituted magnesium–manganese ferrite nanoparticles

In this work, a series of silver-doped Mg–Mn ferrite nanoparticles, Mg_0.9Mn_0.1Ag_xFe_2−xO₄ (x = 0.0, 0.1, 0.2), has been synthesized by solution combustion method and effects of Ag⁺ ions on the structural, electrical, magnetic as well as optical properties have been investigated. The phase recognition has been confirmed by utilizing X-ray diffraction (XRD) study. The particle size and strain has been estimated using the Williamsons–Hall plots, while Nelson–Riley plots have been utilized to predict the lattice parameter. An increase in the particle size (17.5–21.8 nm) and lattice parameter (8.37–8.39 Å) has been viewed with the adding up of Ag⁺ ions. Incorporation of Ag⁺ ion has decreased the resistivity and has produced a normal dispersion curve in the dielectric properties. The M–H study has confirmed an increase in the saturation magnetization (16.9–22.7 emu/g), which has reflected the strengthening of magnetic exchange interactions with the addition of silver content in the Mg–Mn ferrite nanoparticles matrix. The bandgap estimated from the Tauc plots has been viewed to decrease (6.08–4.85 eV) by the rise in silver ions content. Raman spectroscopy study has predicted a slight shift in the Raman modes towards the lower frequency. The electric and dielectric properties have been explained in the light of Verwey’s hopping mechanism and Maxwell–Wagner model, respectively. The obtained magnetic parameters have suggested that present nanoferrites are quite suitable for electromagnet application.