Structural, dielectric, ferroelectric, and magnetic properties of lead-free (1-x)BiFe0.95Ga0.03Mn0.02O3−xBaTiO3 ceramics

Abstract

We report the structural, dielectric, ferroelectric and magnetic properties of (1-x)BiFe0.95Ga0.03Mn0.02O3−xBaTiO3 (BFGMO−xBTO) lead-free ceramics. Structural characterizations demonstrate that the BFGMO forms single-phase solid solutions with the BTO within the doping level of x = 0.3–0.65. With increasing the content of BTO the dielectric constant and ferroelectric Curie temperature shift towards lower temperatures, exhibiting relaxor-like ferroelectric behaviors. Moreover, the remnant polarization reaches the maximum value of 2Pr ~27.67 μC/cm2 at x = 0.35 near the morphotropic phase boundary. At room temperature, remnant magnetization increases - to the maximal value of 2Mr ~0.584 emu/g at x = 0.45, which is attributed to local lattice distortion and destruction of the spiral antiferromagnetic spin structure upon the doping of BTO. The coexistence of ferroelectric and ferromagnetic performance at room temperature makes the environment-friendly BFGMO−xBTO ceramics potential candidate for multiferroic device applications.