Journal Article

Unusual magnetic behaviors and electrical properties of Nd-doped BiFeO sub(3) nanoparticles calcined at different temperatures

Hai, X, Wu, P, Rao, G H, Wang, SY, Liu, W F, Zhang, H, Liu, G Y

2014

Overview

Bi sub(1-x)Nd sub(x)FeO sub(3) (x = 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2) nanoparticles (about 20-50 nm) calcined at 500 and 600 degree C, respectively, were prepared by an ethylene glycol-based sol-gel. The XRD analysis reveals that the BiFeO sub(3) samples are in single phase, and their crystal structure is varied with the Nd content. Due to the small particle size, the uncompensated spin moments on the surface and the suppression of spin helical ordering structure result in a ferromagnetic phase of the BiFeO sub(3) nanoparticles. The magnetization of the Nd-doped samples calcined at 600 degree C is improved with the increase of Nd content, but for the Nd-doped samples calcined at 500 degree C, it shows an opposite trend, which is ascribed to the interplay of size effect and the ratio of Fe super(2+):Fe super(3+) of samples calcined at different temperatures via XPS analysis. The dielectric properties were measured and analyzed for the samples calcined at 500 and 600 degree C. Moreover, the leakage current value of the Bi sub(1-x)Nd sub(x)FeO sub(3) samples can be modulated by the Nd doping, and it reaches a minimum at the Nd content around 0.1.

• Subject: Ethylene