Investigating the Impact of Cu2+ Doping on the Morphological, Structural, Optical, and Electrical Properties of CoFe2O4 Nanoparticles for Use in Electrical Devices

Abstract

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 ų, 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 Cu_0.12Co_0.88Fe₂O₄ 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.