Magnetization reversal and coercivity mechanism in ferrimagnetic M-type hexaferrite by controlling phase evolution.

• Overall magnetic properties depend on phase evolution. • Average particle size increased with increasing annealing temperature. • Transition from single-domain to multi-domain configuration with annealing. • Incoherent magnetization reversal mechanism in single domain Ba 1-x Sr x Fe 12 O 19. The correlation of phase evolution (annealing at different temperatures) with magnetic properties like magnetization reversal, coercivity mechanism, and energy product in M-type hexaferrite by substituting Sr in place of Ba has been reported in the present article. The Ba 1-x Sr x Fe 12 O 19 (x = 0.0, 0.5, & 1.0) have been prepared by the sol–gel auto-combustion method followed by annealing at different temperatures from 800 °C to 1200 °C. The structural and magnetic properties have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, Field emission scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and Vibrating sample magnetometer. The Rietveld refinement confirms contraction in unit cell parameters by replacing Sr in place of Ba and lattice expansion with increasing annealing temperature. There is no significant effect of substitution on magnetic properties found rather heat treatment affects greatly. The transition from a single domain to multidomain particles and their contribution to initial magnetization curves are analyzed. The differential susceptibility (dM/dH) calculated from room temperature magnetization confirms the existence of a pinning effect during magnetization reversal for samples heat treated below 1200 °C. Secondary phases or grain boundaries are believed to act like pinning centers. This work opens insight into the domain wall motion by microstructure engineering. The coercivity is tuned to 6.09 kOe by controlling the annealing temperature for the Ba 1-x Sr x Fe 12 O 19 (x = 1.0) sample. The maximum energy product (BH) max in the range of 0.94–1.27 MGOe has been achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]