Influence of CuO Addition on the Structural, Magnetic and Electrical Properties of Nd0.67Sr0.33MnO3 Composites
Published:
2025-08-31Downloads
Abstract
Colossal magnetoresistance (CMR) materials are widely studied to be applied in magnetic sensing elements. The incorporation of a secondary oxide phase into manganites has been explored to improve low-field magnetoresistance (LFMR). In this study, polycrystalline Nd0.67Sr0.33MnO3 (NSMO) was synthesised via the sol-gel method, and different contents of CuO nanopowder were added to form (1–x) NSMO: x CuO composites. The structural, magnetic, and electrical properties of the composites were characterised by X-ray diffraction (XRD), AC susceptibility (ACS), and Hall effect measurement (HMS). XRD results confirmed the orthorhombic structure in all samples and indicated no reaction between NSMO and CuO, suggesting that CuO segregates at the grain boundaries or surfaces of NSMO grains. Magnetic measurements revealed negligible variation in the Curie temperature (TC), while electrical measurements showed a suppression of the metal–insulator transition temperature (TMI). Although LFMR was more pronounced at lower temperatures, no enhancement was observed in the NSMO composites compared to its parent compound. This behaviour is attributed to spin-polarised tunnelling, which dominates LFMR and is primarily dominated by the nanoscale NSMO achieved through sol-gel synthesis. These findings offer valuable insights into the magnetotransport properties of NSMO:CuO composites and the role of secondary oxide phases in tailoring LFMR.
Keywords:
Electrical, CMR, LFMR, Magnetic, Nanopowder, NSMOReferences
Colossal magnetoresistance (CMR) materials are widely studied to be applied in magnetic sensing elements. The incorporation of a secondary oxide phase into manganites has been explored to improve low-field magnetoresistance (LFMR). In this study, polycrystalline Nd0.67Sr0.33MnO3 (NSMO) was synthesised via the sol-gel method, and different contents of CuO nanopowder were added to form (1–x) NSMO: x CuO composites. The structural, magnetic, and electrical properties of the composites were characterised by X-ray diffraction (XRD), AC susceptibility (ACS), and Hall effect measurement (HMS). XRD results confirmed the orthorhombic structure in all samples and indicated no reaction between NSMO and CuO, suggesting that CuO segregates at the grain boundaries or surfaces of NSMO grains. Magnetic measurements revealed negligible variation in the Curie temperature (TC), while electrical measurements showed a suppression of the metal–insulator transition temperature (TMI). Although LFMR was more pronounced at lower temperatures, no enhancement was observed in the NSMO composites compared to its parent compound. This behaviour is attributed to spin-polarised tunnelling, which dominates LFMR and is primarily dominated by the nanoscale NSMO achieved through sol-gel synthesis. These findings offer valuable insights into the magnetotransport properties of NSMO:CuO composites and the role of secondary oxide phases in tailoring LFMR
License
Copyright (c) 2025 L. N Lau, X.T Hon, K. P Lim, N. A Mazlan, M. M. Awang Kechik, S. K Chen, M. K Shabdin, A. H Shaari
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with Journal of Material Science and Radiation, agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC-BY License). This license allows authors to use all articles, data sets, graphics, and appendices in data mining applications, search engines, web sites, blogs, and other platforms by providing an appropriate reference. The journal allows the author(s) to hold the copyright without restrictions and will retain publishing rights without restrictions.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in Journal of Material Science and Radiation.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
