STRUCTURE AND CHARACTERIZATION OF (x)Ni0.7Zn0.3Fe2O4 – (1-x)BaTiO3 COMPOSITES

Multiferroic composites with formula Ni0.7Zn0.3Fe2O4 - BaTiO3 (x = 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 0.9) were prepared by mixing chemically obtained NZF and BT powders in the planetary mill for 24 h. NiZnFe2O4 (NZF) powder was prepared by auto-combustion method starting from nickel, zinc and iron nitrates. Barium titanate (BT) powder was prepared with the same method. The optimization of sintering process was performed. One series of powders were pressed and sintered at 1170 °C, while the others were sintered at 1120 °C. X-ray measurements confirmed the presence of NZF, BT phases and the traces of barium ferrite phase. The microstructures of the ceramics show (Fig. 1.) the formation of grains with different shape and size. The formation of polygonal (NZF grains), rounded (BT grains) and plate like grains (barium ferrite phase) was noticed. The magnetic analyses showed that in the composites due to existence of ferroelectric phase a dilution effect appears.