Exploring the multifaceted properties of zinc-doped nanocrystalline calcium chromite: A comprehensive investigation into structural, morphological, optical, and magnetic behavior

Abstract

The production of CaCr_1−xZn_xO₃ a calcium chromite doped with zinc (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.4). The samples were prepared using the sol-gel auto-combustion process, and then we analysed their optical and dielectric characteristics, microstructure, and morphology to determine how doping with Zn affected them. The microstructural investigation verified that the samples were composed of a single phase through the use of X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The crystallite size was determined using the Scherrer equation and Williamson-Hall analysis, while the lattice parameters, density, unit cell volume, bond lengths, and bond angles were all clarified from Xrd data. Both the size of crystallites and the volume of unit cells increased as the Zn level grew. The creation of uniform and regular samples was confirmed by surface morphology examination using SEM-EDX. Furthermore, optical properties revealed a decrease in the optical energy bandgap (Eg) and an increase in Urbach energy with rising Zn doping. Magnetic saturation exhibited an initial increase from x = 0.1 to 0.4 (35.4–55.7 emu/g) followed by a decrease from x = 0.3 to 0.4 (41.6–40.7 emu/g) as Zn progressively occupied A and B sites. VSM results also indicated a decrease in remanence (Mr) and coercivity (Hc) with increasing Zn concentration.