Characteristics of novel magnetic nanocomposites based on samarium orthoferrite

In this study, multiferroic composites MF/SmF (MF = NiFe₂O₄, CoFe₂O₄, ZnFe₂O₄, CdFe₂O₄, and SmF representing SmFeO₃) were synthesized using the sol-gel method. X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) were employed to examine the impact of SmF on the MF's phase composition, microstructure, and degree of crystallinity. These analyses confirmed the formation of pure composites with two phases (orthorhombic + cubic), identified the chemical bonds present in the composites, and verified the nanoscale dimensions of all composites (17-92 nm). The composition element was determined through energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDXA). UV-vis absorption spectroscopy was used to assess the effect of SmF on the band gap energy of the MF, where the band gap energy of the SmF sample is 2.28 eV, CoF/SmF is 1.18 eV, and the NiF/SmF composite has an energy band gap of 1.8 eV. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, characterized by unpaired electron spins, and a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) were used to analyze the nanocomposites' ferromagnetic characteristics. The exchange-coupled interaction between Sm and MF was confirmed by the lattice parameters and the functional groups present, as well as the energy gap for each compound and the magnetic parameters of SmF/FM nanocomposites.