Effect of Zn Doping on Structural/Microstructural, Surface Topography, and Dielectric Properties of Bi₂Fe₄O₉...

In the present research work, bismuth ferrite mullite type Bi₂Fe_4-ZnO₉ (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.05) nanostructures are prepared by a chemical coprecipitation method and the effect of Zn doping concentration on the structural, surface topography, and dielectric properties is reported. The powder X-ray diffraction pattern of the Bi₂Fe_4-ZnO₉ (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.05) nanomaterial shows an orthorhombic crystal structure. Using Scherer's formula, the crystallite sizes of the nanomaterial Bi₂Fe_4-ZnO₉ (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.05) have been calculated and found to be 23.54 and 45.65 nm, respectively. The results of the atomic force microscopy (AFM) investigations show that spherical shape nanoparticles have grown and are densely packed around each other. AFM/scanning electron microscopy images, however, also illustrate that spherical nanoparticles transform into nanorod-like nanostructures with an increase in Zn concentrations. The transmission electron micrography images of Bi₂Fe_4-ZnO₉ (x = 0.05) showed elongated/spherical shape grains homogeneously distributed throughout the inside of the surface of the sample. The dielectric constants of Bi₂Fe_4-ZnO₉ (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.05) materials have been calculated and found to be 32.95 and 55.32. It is found that the dielectric properties improve with an increase in the Zn doping concentration, making it a good potential contender for multifunctional modern technological applications.