Magnetic, Ferroelectric, and Magnetocapacitive Properties of Sonochemically Synthesized Sc-Doped BiFeO₃ Nanoparticles

Abstract

We report the synthesis of undoped and Sc3+-doped BiFeO3 nanoparticles using the sonochemical technique. X-ray diffraction reveals that all samples are single phase with no impurities detected. EDX analysis was done to confirm the extent of Sc3+ doping in the samples. The size and morphology of the nanoparticles have been analyzed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). XPS studies were done to check the presence of Fe2+ ions in the samples. The BiFeO3 nanoparticles show a weak ferromagnetic behavior at room temperature, which is quite different from the linear M–H relationship reported for bulk BiFeO3. The substitution of Sc ions for Bi enhances the ferromagnetic as well as ferroelectric properties of this system, which is mainly attributed to the antiferromagnetic core and ferromagnetic surface of the nanoparticles, together with the mild structural distortion. Temperature and field dependence of magnetization curves reveal the frustrated magnetic behavior of this system. The leakage current is considerably reduced, and electric polarization increases significantly in the case of BiFe0.95Sc0.05O3 nanoparticles. Magnetoelectric coupling was observed in the BiFe0.95Sc0.05O3 sample. Thus, it can be inferred that Sc3+-doped BiFeO3 nanoparticles show promise as good multiferroic materials.

Simple top-down preparation of magnetic Bi0.9Gd0.1Fe1−xTixO3nanoparticles by ultrasonication of multiferroic bulk material

“…Interestingly, in the case of Bi 0.9 Gd 0.1 Fe 1−x Ti x O 3 (x = 0.00, 0.10, 0.20) nanoparticles we have observed a symmetrically single XPS peak (Fig. 5 (b)) of O 1S at 530 eV [28,45]. This indicates the absence of oxygen vacancy in Bi 0.9 Gd 0.1 Fe 1−x Ti x O 3 (x = 0.00, 0.10, 0.20) nanoparticles.…”

“…To date, most of the published results reported the multiferroic properties of ceramics [8,9] and thin film [22] systems of BiFeO 3 and it is still a challenge to synthesize BiFeO 3 nanostructures [7,21,23]. So far various chemistry based routes like the sol-gel method [18,24], electrospray method [25], the combustion synthesis process [26], sonochemical synthesis process [27][28][29], were applied to synthesize multiferroic nanoparticles. Most of these chemical methods for the synthesis of multiferroic nanoparticles are either based on complex solution processes or involve toxic precursors [7].…”

Dy doped BiFeO 3 : A bulk ceramic with improved multiferroic properties compared to nano counterparts

“…The multiferroic BiFeO 3 (BFO) has been a paradigm among them due to its potential in the novel multifunctional devices [4], [5]. The BiFeO 3 is ferroelectric below T C ∼1103 K and antiferromagnetic (AFM) below T N ∼643 K. It is of rhombohedrally distorted perovskite ABO 3 (A = Bi, B = Fe) structure with space group R3c and lattice parameters a = 5.58Å and c = 13.87Å [6]- [8].…”

Influence of La-doping on structure and magnetic behaviors in BiFeO3

“…In spite of all favorable potential applications, BFO related technology still faces problems like the formation of undesired secondary phases during synthesis, high leakage current, weak ferromagnetism and lower magnetoelectric coupling. Amongst the various ways of improving the multiferroic properties of BFO, lattice site substitution in BFO with appropriate element/ion is found to be the most effective method [7,8]. Rare earth doping at A-site of the BFO is one of the effective ways to address aforementioned difficulties and to improve its properties [9,10].…”