Magnetoelectric Effect in Ceramics Based on Bismuth Ferrite

• Published in: Nanoscale research letters Vol. 11; no. 1; p. 234
• Main Authors: Jartych, Elżbieta, Pikula, Tomasz, Kowal, Karol, Dzik, Jolanta, Guzdek, Piotr, Czekaj, Dionizy
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.12.2016; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Bismuth; Ceramics; Chemistry and Materials Science; Coupling; Diffraction; EMN Meeting; Ferrite; Materials Science; Molecular Medicine; Nano Express; Nanochemistry; Nanoscale Science and Technology; Nanotechnology; Nanotechnology and Microengineering; Neodymium; Solid solutions; Transformations; Magnetoelectric effect; Bismuth ferrite; Ceramic materials; Aurivillius compounds; Multiferroics
• ISSN: 1931-7573; 1556-276X
• DOI: 10.1186/s11671-016-1436-3

Solid-state sintering method was used to prepare ceramic materials based on bismuth ferrite, i.e., (BiFeO 3 ) 1 −  x –(BaTiO 3 ) x and Bi 1 −  x Nd x FeO 3 solid solutions and the Aurivillius Bi 5 Ti 3 FeO 15 compound. The structure of the materials was examined using X-ray diffraction, and the Rietveld method was applied to phase analysis and structure refinement. Magnetoelectric coupling was registered in all the materials using dynamic lock-in technique. The highest value of magnetoelectric coupling coefficient α ME was obtained for the Bi 5 Ti 3 FeO 15 compound ( α ME  ~ 10 mVcm −1  Oe −1 ). In the case of (BiFeO 3 ) 1 −  x –(BaTiO 3 ) x and Bi 1 −  x Nd x FeO 3 solid solutions, the maximum α ME is of the order of 1 and 2.7 mVcm −1  Oe −1 , respectively. The magnitude of magnetoelectric coupling is accompanied with structural transformation in the studied solid solutions. The relatively high magnetoelectric effect in the Aurivillius Bi 5 Ti 3 FeO 15 compound is surprising, especially since the material is paramagnetic at room temperature. When the materials were subjected to a preliminary electrical poling, the magnitude of the magnetoelectric coupling increased 2–3 times.