The Effect of Heat Treatment on Structural and Multiferroic Properties of Phase-Pure BiFeO3

Phase-pure multiferroic BiFeO3 (BFO) was prepared by the coprecipitation technique using diverse precursors bismuth oxide at temperature as low as 400A degrees C. The dependence of structural, microstructural, thermal, electrical (AC and DC), and magnetic properties on sintering temperature was systematically investigated. Uniaxially pressed samples (8 mm) were sintered in air at 500A degrees C to 800A degrees C for 4 h. X-ray diffraction analysis was used to determine the amorphous and perovskite nature of as-synthesized and calcined/sintered samples, respectively. The crystallite size of sintered powders increased from 47 nm to 67 nm. Scanning electron microscopy showed grain growth during sintering, which improved intergranular connectivity and decreased porosity in the samples. The ferroelectric to paraelectric Curie transition temperature (T (C)) of pure BFO powder was detected by differential scanning calorimetry analysis and found to be 820A degrees C +/- A 1A degrees C. The samples exhibited high AC resistivity and dielectric constant, and low loss tangent values. The samples exhibited weak ferromagnetic behavior with an unsaturated magnetization versus magnetic field hysteresis loop at room temperature. Ferroelectric behavior and variation in remnant polarization and coercivity were observed from polarization versus electric field loops. Enhanced capacitance in the magnetic field revealed the magnetoelectric effect in the samples.