Electrospun preparation of nickel and Cobalt-doped ZnO fibers: study on the physical properties

In this study, pure, Nickel, and Cobalt-doped ZnO nanofibers are synthesized successfully by an electrospinning technique. The Ni²⁺ and Co²⁺ ions doping effect on the structural, morphological, optical, and magnetic behavior of ZnO nanofibers are investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectrophotometer (DRS), Vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The XRD analysis results reveal that all samples have hexagonal wurtzite structures. Ni and Co atoms have been successfully incorporated in tetrahedral sites and no secondary phases were detected. DRS spectra indicates that the band gap value varied from 3.18 eV for ZnO to 3.20 eV for ZnO: Ni and 2.82 eV for ZnO: Co. The FTIR spectra exhibit the characteristics absorbance peaks at 438 cm^-1, 432 cm ^-1, and 437 cm^-1 for pure, Ni-doped ZnO, and Co-doped, respectively. The VSM results show all sample's ferromagnetic behavior at room temperature.