Tuning of structural, elastic, luminescence, magnetic, and multiferroic properties of rare earth Ce³⁺ substituted strontium hexaferrite Ceramic magnetic nanomaterials for its industrial applications

The rare earth element Cerium substituted Strontium hexaferrite SrFe_12-xCe_xO₁₉(x = 0.0–0.60), prepared using cost-effective sol–gel a citrate precursor auto-combustion technique at annealing temperature 850 °C. Systematic decrease in crystalline size (79.64–66.02 nm), strain, and systematic increase in cell volume with an increase in the composition of Cerium were found. TGA shows a total weight loss of 43%, while DTA depicts two endothermic peaks at 34 °C and 395 °C and one exothermic peak at 76 °C and thus proves helpful in analyzing the thermal behavior of SrFe₁₂O₁₉. FTIR spectrum shows shifting of the peak toward lower wave number, and hence decrease in force constant and bond length is observed. The largest and minimum value of force constant in tetrahedral and octahedral sites are found to be 262.987 N/m, 260.360 N/m, and 141.257 N/m, 139.973 N/m, respectively. Decrease in stiffness constant C₁₁ (from 344.389 to 339.872), C₁₂ (from 127.376 to 125.706 GPa) and elastic moduli, Y (from 275.60 to 271.991 GPa), B (from 199.713 to 197.094 GPa), G (108.50–107.083 GPa) is observed. PL spectra show four peaks in the visible region and an intense peak is observed for X = 0.40 composition. Visible region luminescence peaks may support its applications in opto-electronics and biological imaging. The highest saturation magnetization is obtained for SrFe_11.80Ce_0.20O₁₉ hexaferrite sample of the order 54.24 emu/gm. The pattern of regular increment in coercivity is obtained from X = 0.00–0.40 with an order of 2421–5632 Oersted. In the SrFe₁₂O₁₉ sample, incorporation of Ce³⁺ composition profitably hinders the leakage current with maximal value of P_max, Pr and Ec that are 14.13 μ c/cm², 50.84 μ c/cm² and 4.33171 kV/cm, respectively, for X = 0.60 composition and regular pattern increment is seen with increasing Ce³⁺ composition. Thus tuning of structural, magnetic, luminescence and ferroelectric properties of Strontium hexaferrite with Ce³⁺ substitution may help its uses as electronics and electrical material for its numerous applications in Electronics, Electrical and Environmental sectors. Graphic abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.].