Improvement of the physical properties of novel (1 − x) CoFe2O4 + (x) LaFeO3 nanocomposites for technological applications

Abstract

Large leakage current and poor magnetization are the two biggest drawbacks of LaFeO3 (LFO), which hinder the opportunities of its application in recent devices. On the other hand, CoFe2O4 (CFO) has remarkably high magnetic properties but its ferroelectric properties are lacking. An improvement of the multiferroic properties of LFO is a real challenge to the researchers’ community. Nano-composites are an excellent alternative in optimizing the physical properties of the blended species. We are aiming to enhance the properties of LFO/CFO nano-composites as compared to that of the individual perovskite and spinel phases. In this work, a composite system is established through physical mixing with different proportions. Phase formation has been checked using X-ray diffraction (XRD), and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy plot reveals no extra peaks correlated to elements other than the constituents. The magnetic entropy change was estimated from magnetization data, using Maxwell relation. The other magnetic parameters are calculated for the different samples from the magnetic hysteresis loops. The obtained electric hysteresis loop of the critical composite is discussed. Significant improvement in the physical properties of 0.6LFO/0.4CFO nano-composite is achieved. This study of the combined perovskite–spinel nanostructures has shed some light on tailoring novel multiferroic materials with appreciably improved properties.