Exploring the praseodymium doped Ba_0.5Sr_0.5Al_0.5Fe_11.5O₁₉ hexaferrites: Structural and magnetic properties for magnetic applications

In this study, praseodymium-substituted Ba_0.5Sr_0.5Al_0.5Fe_11.5-xPr_xO₁₉ (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.15) hexaferrites were synthesized using the sol–gel auto-combustion technique. The objective was to investigate the effects of Pr³⁺ doping on the structural and magnetic properties of the material. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed the formation of a pure M−type hexaferrite phase. Structural analysis revealed that increasing Pr³⁺ concentration led to larger lattice parameters, crystallite size, and unit cell volume. The c/a ratio remained below the critical value of 3.98, further confirming the preservation of the M−type structure. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that particle distribution was uniform and homogeneous across all samples. Vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) analysis demonstrated an increase in coercivity (H_c) with rising Pr³⁺ content. Conversely, saturation magnetization (M_s) and residual magnetization (M_r) decreased with higher doping levels. The enhanced coercivity and increasing trends in anisotropy constants ( K, B, H_a) highlight the material's potential for advanced magnetic applications. These include permanent magnets and magnetic recording media. This study underscores the ability of tailored rare-earth doping to optimize the properties of hard magnetic materials.