Optimization of magnetoelectricity in multiferroic fibrous composites

We propose a method to optimize the effective magnetoelectric voltage coefficient of fibrous composites made of piezoelectric and piezomagnetic phases. The optimization of magnetoelectricity is with respect to the crystallographic orientations and the volume fraction for the two materials. We show that the effective in-plane (αE,11∗) and out-of-plane (αE,33∗) coupling constants can be enhanced many-fold at the optimal orientation compared to those at normal orientation. For example, we show that the constants are 101 and 5 times larger for the optimal orientation of CoFe2O4CoFe2O4 fibers in a BaTiO3BaTiO3 matrix of the optimized volume fraction compared to the normal orientation, while they are 43 and 5 times larger for BaTiO3BaTiO3 fibers in a CoFe2O4CoFe2O4 matrix. The predictions are in good agreement with the finite element analysis.

► We propose a method to optimize the ME effect of fibrous multiferroic composites. ► The optimization is with respect to the crystallographic orientations and the volume fraction. ► The coupling constants can be enhanced many-fold at the optimal orientation compared to those at normal orientation. ► The predictions are in good agreement with finite element analysis.