Ferroelectric and Magnetic Properties of Hot-Pressed BiFeO3-PVDF Composite Films.

The ferroelectric and magnetic properties of hot-pressed BiFeO₃- (BFO) polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) composite films have been studied. The BiFeO₃ (BFO) ceramics have been synthesized by a rapid liquid phase sintering technique. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies revealed that the impure phase observed in pure BFO ceramics was significantly reduced in the composite films. The presence of both ferroelectric and magnetic hysteresis loops confirms the multiferroic nature of the composite films at room temperature. A well-saturated ferroelectric hysteresis loop with a remanent polarization (P_r ) ~ 4.8 µC-cm^-2 and coercive field _(Ec) - 1.55 kV/cm has been observed in composite thin films at room temperature. The magnetic hysteresis loops were traced at room temperature with SQUID. The remanent magnetization (M_r ) ~ 3.0 x 10^-3 emu/gmand coercive field (H_c) - 0.99 kOe was observed in the composite film. The magnetic polarization of the composite films has found to be enhanced as compared to pure BFO and correlated to reduction in BFO impure peak intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]