Enhancement in magnetic, piezoelectric and ferroelectric properties on substitution of titanium by iron in barium calcium titanate ceramics

Lead free polycrystalline ceramics with compositional formula Ba0.90Ca0.10Ti1-3x/4FexO3 (BCT), (x=0.000, 0.005, 0.010, 0.015 and 0.020) were prepared by the solid state reaction method. The effect of substitution of Fe3+ ion at Ti-site on the ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties of BCT ceramics was studied. Remanant polarisation (P-r) and saturation polarisation (P-s) show an increasing trend while the reverse trend was observed for coercive field (E-c) with Fe3+ substitution. The values of the piezoelectric charge coefficient (d(33)) and piezoelectric coupling coefficient (k(p)) was found to increase with increase in Fe content. Ceramic sample with x=0.02 was found to have a maximum value of d(33) (130 pC/N) and k(p) (29%). The prepared ceramic samples show magnetic properties as confirmed by recorded MH loops. On substitution of Fe3+ ions, the ferroelectric BCT ceramics show clear transformation of the diamagnetic nature of BCT ceramics to weak ferromagnetism. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l. All rights reserved.