Study of structural, ferromagnetic and ferroelectric properties of nanostructured barium doped Bismuth Ferrite

Nanostructured multiferroic Bi(1-x)BaxFeO3 x=0.0, 0.1, 0.2 were prepared by hydrothermal technique. All samples belonged to the rhombohedrally distorted perovskite structure. The morphology of the particles changed with the doping of barium. Effect of barium doping on the dielectric constant was studied over a wide frequency range of 1000 Hz-1 MHz. The activation energy due to relaxation and due to conduction was measured from the Cole Cole plot and the AC conductivity versus frequency plot respectively. The activation energy estimated from both the studies was close to each other. The activation energy also enhanced with the increase in the barium content. The magnetization at the highest available held (similar to 1.6 T) increased from 0.05 emu/g for the sample with x = 0.0-12 emu/g for the sample with x=0.2. The magnetic measurements show a significant increase in magnetization around 400 degrees C. Remnant polarization for x=0.0 was negligible and it increased to 0.06 mu C/cm(2) for x=0.2. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.