Ferroelectric-Ferrite Composites for Enhanced Magnetoelectric Properties

In this study, BT-CFO-based multiferroic composites are synthesized using the solid-state method by adding different compositions (i.e., 5%, 10%, and 15%) of cobalt ferrite (CFO) in barium titanate (BT). To verify the phase formation and purity of the composites, XRD has been studied. XRD pattern shows the sharp peaks of BT and CFO exhibiting the crystalline nature of composites. Both separate phases of CFO and BT are accounted for in the composite materials without any chemical reaction or impurities between them. The morphological structure has been determined using FESEM, confirming a uniform grain size distribution. The dielectric study has been done by varying the temperature at a certain frequency value, which validates the BT-CFO composites acting as a ferroelectric relaxor. Furthermore, magnetic and ferroelectric properties of BT-CFO composite are studied by vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and PE–hysteresis loop, resulting in the enhancement of magnetic and electrical properties of the BT-CFO composite. In addition to this, BT-CFO composites exhibit a significant magnetoelectric (ME) effect. From ME coupling measurement, at an applied fixed frequency of 273 Hz and at ${H}_{\text {ac}}$ = 1 Oe, the maximum value of ME coefficient is calculated as 4.20 mV/Cm-Oe for 10% CFO in BT higher than that of other compositions having a value of ME coefficient are 2.10 and 2.84 mV/Cm-Oe for 5% and 15% CFO content in BT, respectively. Hence, BT-CFO composite has the potential for micromemory devices or sensors and it is beneficial for multifunctional data storage devices.