To understand the impact of binary doping in ZnO, nanosized Zn(Ag, Ni)O systems were synthesized by the sol-gel method. The amount of Ag was fixed at 2 at%, and that of Ni was varied from 1 to 15 at%. Ni incorporation equal to or beyond 3 at% gave rise to the development of the NiO phase. The presence of Ag and Ni did not have much influence on the lattice constants of ZnO. However, a larger addition of Ni impacted the unit cell of NiO, as indicated by the reduction of the lattice constant of NiO. The increase in NiO and Ag contents in ZnO reduced the second and third harmonic intensities under non-linear investigations. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis indicated that initial Ni addition varied randomly along with Ag, and it stabilized itself at higher concentration. Field emission scanning electron microscopy revealed that interlinked particles and chains with tamarind shapes were formed, closely matching the rod-like structures under high resolution. Ag and Ni addition altered the structures slightly and randomly till 5 at% Ni; thereafter they deviated from the particle shape to flat disc-shapes. Interestingly, the magnetic response of the sample was determined by the NiO phase, and the effect of Ni and Ag substitution in the ZnO host matrix was almost irrelevant at low temperatures toward magnetic contribution. Weak ferromagnetism at low temperatures (≤50 K) with superparamagnetic-like behavior (cusp in ZFC magnetization) was observed in all the samples. This could be attributed to the finite nano-size effect and uncompensated spins at the surface of the particle.

College of Science and Engineering Flinders University Adelaide SA 5001 Australia

Department of Chemistry Malda College Malda West Bengal 732101 India

Department of Physics Manipal Institute of Technology Manipal Academy of Higher Education Manipal Karnataka 576104 India

Department of Physics National Dong Hwa University Hualien 97401 Taiwan

Department of Physics School of Basic Sciences Manipal University Jaipur Jaipur Rajasthan 303007 India

Department of Physics University of Gour Banga Malda West Bengal 732103 India

Department of Surface and Plasma Science Faculty of Mathematics and Physics Charles University 5 Holesovickach 2 180 00 Praha 8 Czech Republic

Faculty of Electrical Engineering Czestochowa University of Technology Armii Krajowej 17 PL 42 201 Czestochowa Poland

Faculty of Production Engineering and Materials Technology Czestochowa University of Technology Armii Krajowej 19 Częstochowa 42 200 Poland

Future Industries Institute University of South Australia Mawson Lakes Campus SA 5095 Australia

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