Electrospinning of multiferroic CoFe2O4@ Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3–0.5(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3 nano-structured fibers via two different routes

• Published in: Materials characterization Vol. 172; p. 110880
• Main Authors: Molavi, Amir Mahdi, Alizadeh, Parvin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01.02.2021
• Subjects: Barium zirconate titanate‑barium calcium titanate; Cobalt ferrite; Core-shell; Magnetoelectric coupling; Multiferroic fibers; Barium zirconate titanate‑barium calcium titanate; Magnetoelectric coupling; Core-shell; Cobalt ferrite; Multiferroic fibers
• ISSN: 1044-5803; 1873-4189
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matchar.2021.110880

Multiferroic composite materials have attracted a lot of attention for their excellent ferroelectric and ferromagnetic properties. For the first time one-dimensional core-shell structure of CoFe2O4/Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3–0.5(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3 (CFO@BZCT) multiferroic composite was synthesized by electrospinning. The effect of electrospinning routes on the composite fibers properties was investigated. To do so, two different routes were utilized: the electrospinning of core and shell solutions using coaxial nozzle and the electrospinning of BZCT solution containing CFO fibers (with three different concentrations of 2, 4 and 8 g/100 ml solution). The fiber morphology was maintained for all samples in calcination temperatures up to 900 °C. Spinel cobalt ferrite and perovskite BZT-0.5BCT phases were crystallized for calcined composites. The nano and core-shell structure of composites were confirmed by the TEM analysis. Magnetoelectric coupling of CFO and BZCT phases was investigated by the temperature-dependent SQUID measurement, where a ferroelectric phase transformation at 100 °C induced magnetization changes. Low saturation magnetization and dielectric constant of 6.7 emu/g and 300 ± 10 were obtained for the sample synthesized by the first method while these values rose to 36.8 emu/g and 400 ± 30 respectively for the second method. A comparison of the two methods exhibited a larger fiber diameter, porous fibers and lower ferroic properties for the sample synthesized by the first method. [Display omitted] •Crystallization of core phase is diminished in electrospun fibers by coaxial method.•High porosity is obtained by heating the coaxial electrospun fibers.•Superior magnetic properties obtained for the pre-prepared CFO fiber method.