ABSTRACT Ni–Zn ferrites are important soft magnetic materials for high‐frequency and magnetic‐device applications because they combine chemical stability, high resistivity, and composition‐dependent magnetic behavior. However, although rare‐earth substitution is widely used to tailor ferrites, the coupled influence of Ce–Y co‐substitution on cation distribution, lattice distortion, and magnetic response in Ni–Zn ferrites has not been systematically clarified. In this work, Ni 0.85 Zn 0.15 Ce x Y x Fe 2−2 x O 4 ( x = 0.0–0.1) nanoferrites were synthesized by the sol–gel auto‐combustion method to address this gap. XRD with Rietveld refinement confirmed the formation of a single‐phase cubic spinel structure for all compositions, with lattice expansion from 8.3471 to 8.3822 Å as the Ce–Y content increased. Williamson–Hall analysis showed increasing crystallite size and lattice strain, while cation‐distribution analysis revealed that Ce 3+ and Y 3+ preferentially occupy the octahedral B site, leaving the tetrahedral site nearly unchanged. FTIR and electron microscopy further confirmed preservation of the spinel framework and the formation of nanocrystalline particles. Magnetic measurements showed a composition‐dependent decrease in saturation magnetization, remanence, and coercivity, which is attributed to octahedral‐site substitution and weakened A–B superexchange interactions. These findings provide a clearer structure–property picture for Ce–Y‐modified Ni–Zn ferrites and demonstrate that rare‐earth co‐substitution is an effective strategy for tuning their magnetic behavior.
Patil et al. (Fri,) studied this question.