Structural, dielectric and magnetoelectric studies of [0.5Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3-0.5(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3]-Ni0.8Zn0.2Fe2O4 multiferroic composites

Magnetoelectric (ME) composites (1−x)[0.5Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3-0.5(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3]-xNi0.8Zn0.2Fe2O4, containing ferroelectric [0.5Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3-0.5(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3] (BZT-0.5BCT) and magnetic Ni0.8Zn0.2Fe2O4 (NZF) materials, have been synthesized. The structural, dielectric, ferroelectric, magnetic and magnetoelectric properties of (1−x)[BZT-0.5BCT]-x[NZF] composites; x = 0, 0.15, 0.25, 0.35, and 0.45 are reported here. The Rietveld refinement of X-ray diffraction pattern of (1−x)[BZT-0.5BCT]-x[NZF] composites shows good agreement between observed and calculated pattern, and formation of composites without any impurity phase. The dielectric study with temperature revels that the composites exhibit two dielectric anomalies: first anomaly at ∼413 K corresponds to ferroelectric transition of BZT-0.5BCT while the second anomaly at ∼723 K corresponds to the magnetic transition of NZF. The composites exhibit typical ferroelectric (PE) and magnetic (MH) hysteresis loop at room temperature. The maximum magnetoelectric coefficient (αE ∼12.95 mV/Oe.cm at 1 kHz and 254 mV/Oe.cm at 35 kHz frequency of applied ac magnetic field) at room temperature is found for x = 0.25 composite.