Structural, microstructural and magneto-electric properties of single-phase BiFeO3 nanoceramics prepared by auto-combustion method

Polycrystalline nano BiFeO3 powders were synthesized by auto-combustion method using urea as fuel and metal nitrates (Fe(NO3)3·9H2O, Bi(NO3)3·5H2O) as oxidizers. In order to optimize the single-phase synthesis condition of BiFeO3, different fuel to oxidizer ratios have been investigated. The preliminary structural investigation using X-ray diffraction shows the samples were of single phase and crystallize in rhombohedral structure (R3c). The ferroelectric and antiferromagnetic ordering temperatures of BiFeO3 were found to be 832 °C and 364 °C respectively, from differential thermal analysis. The temperature dependent dielectric study shows an anomaly around 215 °C which corresponds to magneto-electric coupling in the material. Field-emission scanning electron micrographs show effect of fuel to oxidizer ratio on grain size evolution. The ferroelectric hysteresis loops for all the samples were measured at a frequency of 100 Hz confirming the ferroelectric nature. An evidence of magneto-electric coupling was also observed at room temperature from magneto-capacitance measurements.