Reduced leakage current and improved multiferroic properties of 0.5((1−x)BLPFO-xPZT)-0.5PVDF composite films

0.5((1−x)Bi0.8La0.1Pr0.2FeO3 (BLPFO)-xPb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 (PZT))-0.5Polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) composite films with x variations 0.25, 0.40 and 0.50 were synthesized using two step mixing, followed by hot pressing. The structural, microstructural, dielectric, magnetic, ferroelectric and magnetodielectric properties of composite films have been systematically investigated. The measurement of the dielectric properties at 1 kHz shows that the dielectric loss (tan δ) decreases with increasing the volume fraction of PZT. The value of maximum room temperature εr ~78 and low tan δ ~0.061 for 0.5((1−x)BLPFO-xPZT)-0.5PVDF composite film with x=0.50 suggests its usefulness for capacitor applications. For predictions of effective dielectric constant of composite films experimental data were fitted with Lichtenecker model. Among all the composite films, the film with x=0.50 was found to exhibit smallest leakage current density ~7×10−8 A/cm2 and hence improved electrical resistivity. The variation of magnetization with temperature indicates the presence of spin glass behavior along with the ferromagnetic component at 5 K. The value of remnant polarization (2Pr) is found to increase with increase of PZT content in composite films. In the present composite films a significant dependence of dielectric constant on magnetic field has been observed, and highest value of magnetodielectric response of 2.85% is observed for composite film with x=0.50.