Exploring the influence of iron-deficient non-stoichiometry dominance on the crystal structure, morphological, electromagnetic, and magnetoelectric characteristics of (1-y) [Ba0.90Ca0.10Ti0.90Zr0.10O3] + (y) [Ni0.25Cu0.13Zn0.62Fe2-xO4-3x/2] composites

In this work, a detail investigation of the influence of iron-deficient non-stoichiometry (IDNS) on crystal structure, morphological, electromagnetic, and magnetoelectric characteristics of (1 - y) [Ba0.90Ca0.10Ti0.90Zr0.10O3] + (y) [Ni0.25Cu0.13Zn0.62Fe2-xO4-3x/(2)] (where x = 0.0-0.12; y = 0.2, 0.5) ferroelectromagnetic composite ceramics (FEMCCs) developed through the solid-state synthetic scheme has been presented. X-ray powder diffraction pattern and infrared spectroscopic analyses endorsed the simultaneousness of individual phases without any traceable secondary phase formation. The non-monotonic variation in lattice constant, crystallite size, and unit cell volume with increasing IDNS was observed. Scanning electron microscopic investigation confirmed the formation of grains possessing polyhedral or irregular shapes and sizes with little agglomeration and porosity with IDNS. The low-frequency dispersion in dielectric constant resulted from Koop's and Maxwell-Wagner's two-layer models due to remarkably conductive and unremarkably conductive parts in EMCCs. The ac electrical conductivity embraced the universal law of Jonscher with large dispersion at higher frequencies and is regulated by the jumping of small polarons exchange interactions and charge transfer amid the nearest neighbor-localized sites. The impedance spectra revealed that the conduction mechanism could be corroborated with the collective accomplishment of remarkably conducting grain and unremarkably conducting grain boundary responses. The permeability decreased with IDNS for y = 0.2 while increased for x = 0.04 and after which decreased with IDNS for y = 0.5. The highest value (a(ME )similar to 0.17 V/cm-Oe) of magnetoelectric coefficient was realized for x = 0.0; y = 0.5 FEMCC due to the elastic interaction mediated by strain between two phases.