Improved Mechanical Properties in Nb2O5/V2O5 Doped Spinel Ferrites

Ceramic Zn ferrites have been obtained from powder synthesized by solidification of a liquid solution technique. Typical dopants used by the ceramic ferrites industry, such as SiO2, CaO, V2O5, and Nb2O5, have been added. From porosity, fractographic, and indentation studies, differences in mechanical properties have been observed. Vickers hardness and fracture toughness improve with the addition of V2O5 and Nb2O5 when compared with undoped and with SiO2–CaO ferrites. In order to explain the behavior of our ferrites, two different mechanisms on a grain boundary are proposed.