This study investigated the production of Cu2+-doped CoFe2O4 nanoparticles (CFO NPs) using a facile sol-gel technique. The impact of Cu2+ doping on the lattice parameters, morphology, optical properties, and electrical properties of CFO NPs was investigated for applications in electrical devices. The XRD analysis revealed the formation of spinel-phased crystalline structures of the specimens with no impurity phases. The average grain size, lattice constant, cell volume, and porosity were measured in the range of 4.55-7.07 nm, 8.1770-8.1097 Å, 546.7414-533.3525 Å3, and 8.77-6.93%, respectively. The SEM analysis revealed a change in morphology of the specimens with a rise in Cu2+ content. The particles started gaining a defined shape and size with a rise in Cu2+ doping. The Cu0.12Co0.88Fe2O4 NPs revealed clear grain boundaries with the least agglomeration. The energy band gap declined from 3.98 eV to 3.21 eV with a shift in Cu2+ concentration from 0.4 to 0.12. The electrical studies showed that doping a trace amount of Cu2+ improved the electrical properties of the CFO NPs without producing any structural distortions. The conductivity of the Cu2+-doped CFO NPs increased from 6.66 × 10-10 to 5.26 × 10-6 ℧ cm-1 with a rise in Cu2+ concentration. The improved structural and electrical characteristics of the prepared Cu2+-doped CFO NPs made them a suitable candidate for electrical devices, diodes, and sensor technology applications.
Keywords: CoFe2O4 nanoparticles; Cu2+ doping; electrical properties; spinel ferrites.