Investigations on magnetoelectric response in binary ferroelectric {0.94Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3 (NBT)-0.06Ba0.85Sr0.15Zr0.1Ti0.9O3 (BSZT)}-ferrimagnetic (NiFe2O4) particulate composites

Novel kind lead-free 0–3 type particulate composites of binary ferroelectric and magnetostrictive phase having molar ratio of (1 − x){0.94Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3 (NBT)-0.06Ba0.85Sr0.15Zr0.1Ti0.9O3 (BSZT)} − (x) Ni0.7Zn0.3Fe2O4 (NZFO) [x = 0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5 & 1] have been investigated. To probe the magnetoelectric response of the (1 − x)(0.94NBT-0.06BSZT−(x)NZFO composites, structural, morphological and magnetoelectric properties were systematically studied. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) shows the ferrimagnetic phase (NZFO) distribution in the binary ferroelectric, NB (0.94NBT-0.06BSZT) matrix with different micro-structural symmetry. With increasing ferrimagnetic content, the room temperature dielectric study shows an increase in relative permittivity as well as an increase in dielectric loss. The occurrence of spontaneous polarization in all composites is conclusively demonstrated by polarization with respect to electric field (P–E) loops. The M–H curve at room temperature demonstrates the emergence of ferromagnetic long-range ordering as ferrite concentration increases. The magneto-dielectric and magneto-electric characterization techniques have been used as sensitive probing tools to evaluate the degree of magnetoelectric coupling in (1 − x)(0.94NBT-0.06BSZT − (x)NZFO composites. Magneto-dielectric (MD %) shows the maximum 1.81% change at 1 kHz along with high values of magneto-electric coupling coefficients α ~ 366 μV/cm Oe for 50{0.94NBT-0.06BSZT} − 50NZFO composite. These lead-free environmentally friendly ME particulate composites may provide an opportunity for the miniaturization of future ME devices.