Hexagonal shaped Zn0.99Ni0.01O nanoparticles having an average size of similar to 50 nm were synthesized by autocombustion technique. The incorporation of Ni in the Zn site is clearly reflected from the (101) major X-ray diffraction peak shift. The presence/development of oxygen vacancies are evidenced from the micro-Raman spectrum. The M-H curve of Zn0.99Ni0.01O shows superparamagnetic behavior at room temperature which is well proven from the decreasing order of zero field cooled magnetization with the decrease in temperature. The simultaneous competition between the oxygen vacancies induced ferromagnetism and the antiferromagnetic interactions between Ni ions gives rise to the superparamagnetic state in nanocrystalline Ni doped ZnO. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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