Nanosize powders of Ni-Zn-Sm ferrites were synthesized by combustion reaction using urea as fuel. The influence of the addition of the rare-earth ion samarium on the, microstructure, relative density and magnetic properties of the Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2-xSm xO4 ferrite with x = 0.0; 0.05; 0.075 and 0.1% mol of Sm3+ was studied. The samples were uniaxially compacted by dry pressing and sintered at 1200 ºC for 2 h with heating rate of 5 ºC/min. Apparent density, relative density, XRD, SEM and magnetic hysteresis loop tracer were used for analyzing the samples. The addition of Sm3+ altered the characteristics of the powders in an advantageous way and increased the relative density and decrease grain size of the of the samples after sintering at 1200 ºC/2h. It was found that the samples have sintered density to about 95.4 - 100% of the corresponding theoretical density, microstructure with grain size to range of the 0.62 to 2.87 mm, flux density maximum in the range of the 0.28 to 0.35 T, field coercivity in the range of the 92.73 to 480.06 A/m, and loss hysteresis 41.67 to 87.54 W/kg. The Ni-Zn-Sm ferrites resulted with magnetic properties adequate to news applications like intermediary, actuate as good absorbers of electromagnetic energy.
Ni-Zn-Sm ferrites; microstructure; magnetic properties; microwave absorbers
