Investigation on interatomic chemical bonding and charge-related optical, multiferroic properties of La1−xZnxFeO3 bulk ceramics

• Published in: Materials chemistry and physics Vol. 267; p. 1
• Main Authors: Gowri, G., Saravanan, R., Srinivasan, N., Saravanan, O.V., Sonai, S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier B.V 15.07.2021; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Absorption spectra; Band gap; Barkhausen effect; Barkhausen jumps; Ceramic bonding; Ceramics; Charge density; Chemical bonds; Crystal lattices; Density distribution; Dielectric loss; Energy bands; Energy gap; Exchange bias effect; Ferroelectricity; Ferromagnetism; Hysteresis; Materials substitution; Multiferroic materials; Optical properties; Orthorhombic phase; Substitution reactions; XRD; Zinc; Charge density; XRD; Band gap; Exchange bias effect; Barkhausen jumps
• ISSN: 0254-0584; 1879-3312
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matchemphys.2021.124652

A series of Zn-substituted La1−xZnxFeO3 (x = 0.00, 0.05, 0.15, and 0.25) bulk ceramics was prepared using solid-state reaction method. The XRD patterns and profile refinements confirm the orthorhombic phase formation in La1−xZnxFeO3. The charge density distribution in the La1−xZnxFeO3 unit cells were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. The average particle size and energy band gap were determined using the SEM images and UV–Visible absorption spectra. The magnetic hysteresis (M − H) curves show weak ferromagnetic order and shift in the hysteresis curves. The Zn-substituted system (x = 0.25), exhibits relatively high dielectric constant with low dielectric loss. Ferroelectric measurements show the rectangular-like P-E loops with Barkhausen jumps. In this work, the effect of Zn-substitution on the crystal lattice and hence the modified optical, and multiferroic properties of LaFeO3 have been examined through charge density analysis which has not been investigated so far. •Zn-substituted La1−xZnxFeO3 (x = 0.00, 0.05, 0.15, and 0.25) bulk ceramics were synthesized by solid-state reaction method.•Charge density distribution and interatomic bonding in the unit cell of La1−xZnxFeO3 have been analyzed using MEM.•Negative exchange bias effect is observed in the magnetic hysteresis curves of La1−xZnxFeO3.•For x = 0.25, the dielectric constant (ε’) and ac conductivity (σac) values are high.•Ferroelectric measurements show the rectangular-like P-E loops with Barkhausen jumps.