Phase evolution and room temperature ferroelectric and magnetic properties of Fe-doped BaTiO3 ceramics

To make the ferroelectric BaTiO3 possess ferromagnetism simultaneously, magnetic Fe was doped into BaTiO3 ceramics at doping levels up to 10% (molar fraction). Both tetragonal and hexagonal phases coexisted in the Fe-doped BaTiO3 ceramics except at 1% doping level. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that higher doping level of Fe, higher sintering temperature and longer sintering time promoted the formation of hexagonal phases in Fe-doped BaTiO3 ceramics. Ferroelectricity was observed in all samples at room temperature, but it was greatly depressed by Fe doping. Except at doping level of 1%, room-temperature ferromagnetism was observed in the BaTiO3 ceramics. The dependence of the saturation magnetization and coercivities of the Fe-doped BaTiO3 ceramics on doping level was systematically studied. Both the saturation magnetization and magnetic coercivities were found to be dependent on the doping level as well as the fraction of the hexagonal phase in the ceramics.