Magnetoelectric effect of (1−x) Ba0.5Sr0.5Zr0.5Ti0.5O3+(x) Ni0.12Mg0.18Cu0.2Zn0.5Fe2O4 composites

• XRD patterns confirmed the coexistence of ferroelectric and ferrimagnetic phases.
• Dielectric dispersion observed at low frequencies due to interfacial polarization.
• Linearity in logσac vs. logω2 is due to small polaron hopping mechanism.
• Maximum ME voltage coefficient 600 μV cm−1 Oe−1 observed for 20% of ferrite.

The magnetoelectric composites with chemical compositions (1−x) Ba0.5Sr0.5Zr0.5Ti0.5O3+(x) Ni0.12Mg0.18Cu0.2Zn0.5Fe2O4 (x=20, 40, 60 and 80 wt%) was prepared by the conventional solid state reaction method. The presence of a biphase composition was confirmed by X-ray diffraction while the microstructure of the composites was studied by scanning electron microscopy revealing a good mixing of the two phases and a good densification of the bulk ceramics. The dielectric dispersion is observed at lower frequencies due to interfacial polarization arising from the interface of the two phases. At higher frequencies, the dielectric constant is almost constant due to the inability of electric dipoles to follow the first variation of the alternating applied electric field. The dielectric loss shows maxima which are attributed when the hopping frequency of electrons between different ionic sites becomes nearly equal to the frequency of the applied field. The linearity in the log(σAC) vs. log(ω2) plots confirmed the small polaron hopping type of conduction mechanism. The composite materials are found to exhibit an excellent frequency dependence of magnetic properties. In the high frequency range, with increasing ferrite concentration the initial permeability increases and cut-off frequency decreases. An optimal magnetoelectric coupling responding voltage of about 600 μV cm−1 Oe−1 is obtained for x=20 wt% at room temperature.