Effect of gamma irradiation on some electrical and dielectric properties of Ce³⁺ substituted Ni–Zn nano ferrites

We report on the synthesis of cerium substituted nickel zinc nano ferrites of compositions x = 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1, and y = 0.1 and on the effect of gamma irradiation on their electrical properties. The samples were synthesized by employing a non-conventional nitrate gel auto combustion technique with a sintering temperature of 600 °C. The structural studies of the as-synthesized ferrites using powder XRD reveal no significant impurity peaks in the obtained pattern, and the crystallite size is in the range of 8–37 nm. Upon irradiation with gamma radiation emitted by Co⁶⁰ with a constant dose rate of 4.97 kGray, the electrical and dielectric properties of the ferrite samples were significantly altered. The DC resistivity of the irradiated ferrite showed a five-fold decrease in its value, which may be due to the hopping of Fe²⁺ ions at the B-site.