Abstract
Exclusive and unprecedented interest was accorded in this paper to the synthesis of BiFeO3 nanopowders by the polyol process. The synthesis protocol was explored and adjusted to control the purity and the grain size of the final product. The optimum parameters were carefully established and an average crystallite size of about 40 nm was obtained. XRD and Mössbauer measurements proved the high purity of the synthesized nanostructurated powders and confirmed the persistence of the rhombohedral R3c symmetry. The first studies on the magnetic properties show a noticeable widening of the hysteresis loop despite the remaining cycloidal magnetic structure, promoting the enhancement of the ferromagnetic order and consequently the magnetoelectric coupling compared to micrometric size powders.
Highlights
Multiferroic materials present a combination of electrical, magnetic and/or elastic features
Several reports have shown that the use of ethylene glycol for the synthesis of various types of compounds [39,40] has an impact on the microstructure [41]
CoPnuclruesoiovnoisd-like shaped BFO nanostructured particles were successfully synthesized for the first timePbuyrethoevpoiodly-loiklepsrhoacepsesduBsFinOgnDaEnGostarsuactusorlevdepnat.rtTichlesswynetrheessuisccpeasrsafumlleytesrysnwtheerseizceodnftororltlhede fairnsdt tailmloewbeyd tuhsetopoblytaoilnparnocaevsesraugseinpgarDtiEclGe saizseaosfo∼l4v0entm
Summary
Multiferroic materials present a combination of electrical, magnetic and/or elastic features. They were classified in two types: type (I), in which the ferroelectricity coexists with the magnetic order spontaneously, and type (II), where the ferroelectricity is induced by the magnetic order (e.g., TbMnO3). The prototype material bismuth ferrite (BiFeO3), denoted as BFO, belongs to the type (I). The ferroelectric order in BFO was described by the lone pair model [1] of bismuth (Bi, 6s2) which causes, by the hybridization with oxygen orbitals, a displacement of bismuth from the center of the perovskite. In order to allow the unusual coexistence of both ferroelectric and magnetic orders, a structural distortion of the crystal cell and of the rotating FeO6 octahedra is required
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