Magneto-electric coupling in multiferroic nanocomposites of the type x (Na0.5K0.5)0.94Li0.06NbO3- (1−x) CoFe2O4: Role of ferrite phase

Lead free multiferroic nanocomposites of Sodium Potassium Lithium Niobate-Cobalt Ferrite xNKLN - (1-x) CFO with molar weight percentages x=0.70, 0.75, 0.80, 0.85 are prepared by solid-state reaction. Samples are characterized using powder XRD, FT-IR, TEM, and magnetic measurements. Piezoelectric properties of the samples are measured and analyzed. After poling, the dielectric properties show resonance/relaxation peaks at certain frequencies. Magneto-dielectric coefficients corresponding to dielectric constant and loss are reported. The magneto-electric coefficient of the material is measured following a dynamic measurement method. Maximum value of magneto-electric coefficient obtained is 0.0157 V/cm-Oe, which is good for a lead free sample prepared by this route, but lower than the corresponding nickel ferrite (NFO) based samples. The lower magneto-electric response of CFO based composites is explained as due the material being magnetically harder. Changes in physical properties with applied magnetic field make them promising for applications like eco-friendly sensors and actuators.