Enhanced multiferroic properties of NZCFO-BNFSO composites: Synthesis, characterization, and performance analysis

The structural and multiferroic properties of xNi_0.24Zn_0.58Cu_0.18Fe₂O₄(NZCFO)-(1-x)Bi_0.9Nd_0.1Fe_0.95 Sc_0.05O₃(BNFSO) are explored in this paper. Bi₂O₃ additives significantly lower the sintering temperature of the composites. The XRD analysis validates the coexistence of hexagonal perovskite BNFSO and spinel NZCFO phases. The FESEM images illustrate an almost homogeneous amalgamation of the BNFSO and NZCFO grains. The real part of initial permeability and the relative quality factor increases with NZCFO contents in the composites. The maximum permeability is observed for the composite with 80 % ferrite content. The ferroelectric BNFSO exhibits antiferromagnetic behavior and with the increase in NZCFO the saturation magnetization increases significantly. The dielectric constant confirms typical dielectric dispersion at low frequencies because of Maxwell-Wagner space charge polarization. The P-E hysteresis measurement reveals that the composite with 40 % ferrite content exhibits the highest loop area and hence a large energy storage capacity. Incorporating BNFSO and NZCFO into the composite boosts the multiferroic properties, which might be a suitable alternative to single-phase multiferroics.