Fabrication of Ferrite Core Inductors Utilizing Sol-Gel-Produced La³⁺ Doped CoFe₂O₄ Nanomaterials

Ferrite magnetic materials are excellent materials for the fabrication of ferrite core inductors. Here, rare-earth La³⁺ -doped cobalt ferrites, CoFe_2-xLa_xO₄ (x = 0.0, 0.10, and 0.20) have been produced using the eco-friendly sol–gel auto-combustion method. The laboratory-made samples were utilized for the fabrication of ferrite core/rod inductors. The obtained nanomaterials were tested for structural and microstructural characterizations using x-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. The XRD outcomes confirmed the single phase (Fd-3 m space group) nanocrystalline nature with sizes ranging  ~ 36 nm to 40 nm for all the product samples, which was also verified by the TEM analysis (38–40 nm). FTIR spectra showed characteristic bands for metal–oxygen (M-O) stretching vibrations from the tetrahedral site near 463–467 cm⁻¹ and from the octahedral site at 689–696 cm⁻¹ for all the fabricated samples. On La³⁺ doping in the CoFe₂O₄ matrix, a minor change in band positions was caused due to the microstructure. The ferrite rod inductors had an inductance (L) that ranged from ~ 140 µH to 200 µH. With the addition of La³⁺, the electro-magnetic characteristics of the cobalt ferrite nanocrystals underwent a transformation, which led to an increase in inductance of the ferrite rod inductors. The ferrite core inductors that have been acquired can be advantageous for electrical circuits in power electronics, microwaves, and cellular technology applications.