Structural, microstructural and magnetic investigations in high-energy ball milled BiFeO3 and Bi0.95Eu0.05FeO3 powders

In this paper, synthesis, structural, microstructural and magnetic properties of high-energy ball milled BiFeO3 and Bi0.95Eu0.05FeO3 powders were thoroughly investigated through X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Mössbauer spectroscopy and magnetization measurements. Single-phased compounds were processed by using both mechanosynthesis and post-milling annealing. The set of results did not indicate considerable alterations in the magnetic ordering of the powders, even though their ordering temperature, magnetization and coercivity were highly sensitive to the narrow grain sizes distribution of nanograins and substituting Eu ion. In addition, we have shown that enhanced magnetic properties of BiFeO3 could be achieved by a low degree of Eu substitution, yet preserving the structural and microstructural characteristics of the processed powders.