Hydrothermal synthesis and multiferroic properties of Y2NiMnO6

The double perovskite Y2NiMnO6 was prepared by a mild hydrothermal method. The room temperature powder X-ray diffraction analysis shows that it crystallizes in the monoclinic perovskite lattice with space group P2(1)/n. Analysis by bond valence sum and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveal its oxide states to be Ni2+/Mn4+. Magnetic behaviours were characterized by DC and AC magnetic susceptibility, as well as magnetization-hysteresis. After the as-synthesized sample was annealed at 1273 K, the order of the arrangement between Ni2+ and Mn4+ increased. Close to the magnetic ordering temperature, a dielectric anomaly was observed at 84 K. The ferroelectric polarization of about 35 mu C m(-2) at 77 K was determined by Positive-Up-Negative-Down method, which is induced by up-up-down-down magnetic arrangement as expected theoretically.