Electrical properties of (1−x) BFO – (x) PZT multiferroics synthesized by sol-gel method: Transition from relaxor to non-relaxor

Abstract

Crystalline solutions of (1−x) BiFeO3 – (x) Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 within the composition range 0.50 ≤ x ≤ 1.00 have been made by the sol-gel route. Solid solution formation and structural transformations have been confirmed by diffraction studies. Electrical behaviour of solid solution compositions have been studied at a few selected frequencies in the temperature range 35 °C–600 °C. Overall, three dielectric anomalies have been observed for compositions 0.50 ≤ x ≤ 0.70 whose positions have been found to shift to low temperature side with increasing x and reduced to one broad anomaly at ∼385 °C for x = 1.0. A switching from relaxor behaviour for 0.50 ≤ x ≤ 0.90 to non relaxor behaviour for x = 1.0 has been observed. All the samples have shown low dielectric loss near room temperature. Temperature dependent conductivity variation indicates an Arrhenius type thermally activated process via localized hopping of electrons in the low temperature region. Small polaron and oxygen vacancy motion dominate at intermediate and high temperature range respectively.