Tuning of structural, magnetic, and optical properties of ZnO nanoparticles by Co and Cu doping

Undoped, Cu, and Co-doped ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by a simple co-precipitation method. We studied the structural, chemical, magnetic, and optical properties of synthesized nanoparticles by using X-ray Diffraction, Fourier Transform Infrared, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Vibrating-Sample Magnetometer, and UV-VIS spectroscopy. The X-ray Diffraction analysis discovers the crystalline hexagonal wurtzite structure and confirms the incorporation of Cu2+ and Co2+ in the ZnO lattice. The SEM photographs show that the nanoparticles are agglomerated, and the grain size of pure ZnO is decreased upon doping, showing inhibition of grain growth through doping. From VSM the coercivity and saturation magnetization of Co-doped (0.0189 emu/g and 84.044Oe) is higher as compared to pure and Cu-doped ZnO. The energy gap of doped and un-doped nanoparticles determined from the absorption spectrum indicates that it increases by doping of Copper and cobalt.