Optical, Dielectric, Magnetic, Photocatalytic, and Antibacterial Properties of Ga-Doped BiGa_xFe_1–xO₃ Synthesized by the Microemulsion Approach

Abstract

The effect of Ga-substitution on bismuth ferrite BiGa x Fe 1−x O 3 (x = 0, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20, and 0.25) properties was investigated, which was fabricated using a microemulsion route. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed that specimens had a singlephase rhombohedral structure with space group R3̅ c. The concentration of Ga had an impact on various properties such as structural parameters, crystalline size, porosity, and unit cell volume. The samples exhibited notable values for the dielectric constant, tangent loss, and dielectric loss in the low-frequency range, which declined as the frequency increased due to different polarizations. The increment in the AC conductivity was associated with rise in frequency. The P−E loops demonstrated that the samples became more resistive as the Ga concentration increased. The retentivity (M r ) and saturation magnetization (M s ) values reduced as the Ga content increased, although all samples had H c values within the range for electromagnetic materials. The Ga-substitution had a synergistic effect on the electrochemical characteristics of BiGa x Fe 1−x O 3 , resulting in greater conductivity than that of undoped BiFeO 3 . These enhanced properties contributed to their higher photocatalytic activity in the degradation of crystal violet under visible light irradiation. The doped BiGa x Fe 1−x O 3 exhibited 79% dye degradation after 90 min of illumination compared to 54% for pure BiFeO 3 . Recycling experiments confirmed the stability and reusability of the synthesized nanoparticles. The antibacterial activity of the samples was certified against various microbes, and the doped BiGa x Fe 1−x O 3 showed promising activity. Thus, doped materials are good candidates for memories, dielectric resonators, and photovoltaics because of their high dielectric constant and AC conductivity, while their higher photocatalytic activity under visible light makes them promising photocatalysts for removing noxious and harmful effluents from wastewaters.