Synthesis and dielectric properties of ferroelectric-ferrimagnetic PZT-SFMO composites

Ferrimagnetic-ferroelectric composite materials on the base of Pb0.85Zr0.53Ti0.47O3- Sr2FeMoO6-δ (PZT-SFMO) compounds have been prepared by a complex ceramic technology and a modified sol-gel synthesis. The dielectric properties of the PZT-SFMO composites with the PZT concentrations of 55 wt% and less, as well as of pure SFMO, are caused by the Maxwell-Wagner relaxation and a huge electrical conductivity. In contrast, in pure PZT the ferroelectric phase transition is clearly expressed in the static dielectric permittivity anomaly. Moreover, in all investigated composites, similarly to pure SFMO, the electrical conductivity anomaly is observed in the range from 560-540 K. This indicates that the composites with PZT concentrations of 55 wt% and higher are above the electrical and magnetic percolation threshold, in a good agreement with the excluded volume theory. In PZT-SFMO composites the DC electrical conductivity increases with SFMO concentration almost in a power law fashion, while the activation energy of the DC conductivity decreases under certain conditions.