Electrical, magnetic, and magnetoelectric characterization of fine-grained Pb(Zr0.53Ti0.47)O3–(Ni0.5Zn0.5)Fe2O4 composite ceramics

Fine-grained Pb(Zr0.53Ti0.47)O3–(Ni0.5Zn0.5)Fe2O4 (PZT–NZFO) magnetoelectric (ME) composite ceramics were fabricated by a modified hybrid process at a low sintering temperature of 900 °C. Well-controlled crystallized grain size and homogeneous microstructure with a good mixture of two phases were observed in the ceramics. The ceramics show coexistence of ferrimagnetic and ferroelectric phases with well-formed ferromagnetic and ferroelectric hysteresis loops at room temperature. A significant ME effect was observed with a ME coefficient of 0.537 V cm−1 Oe−1 in the vicinity of electromechanical resonance. In addition, high capacitance can be obtained at low frequency, and magnetic properties in the ceramics can be tailored by the grain size of the ferromagnetic particles in a simple and flexible way.

► We prepare fine-grained Pb(Zr0.53Ti0.47)O3–(Ni0.5Zn0.5)Fe2O4 magnetoelectric (ME) composite ceramics with 3–0 connectivity at a low sintering temperature of 900 °C.
► We observe well-controlled crystallined grain size and homogeneous microstructure with a good mixture of two phases.
► We obtain obvious ferromagnetic and ferroelectric hysteresis loops, together with a large ME coefficients of 0.537 V cm−1 Oe−1 in the vicinity of electromechanical resonance, at room temperature.