Effects of microwave sintering power on microstructure, dielectric, ferroelectric and magnetic properties of bismuth ferrite ceramics

Multiferroic bismuth ferrite ceramics were fabricated via microwave sintering. The microstructure, dielectric, ferroelectric and magnetic properties of bismuth ferrite ceramics sintered at different microwave powers are characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, impedance analyzers, ferroelectric test system and vibrating sample magnetometer. Bismuth ferrite ceramics sintered at 3.4 kW is single phase and has dense structure and uniform grains. The lower microwave sintering power for bismuth ferrite ceramics is benefit for the decrease of its dielectric loss. The remnant polarization and coercive electric field of bismuth ferrite ceramics decrease with the increasing of microwave sintering power. The remnant polarization and the coercive electric field of bismuth ferrite ceramics decrease simultaneously as frequency increases. The leakage current of bismuth ferrite ceramics increases with the increase of microwave sintering power. Bismuth ferrite ceramics prepared by microwave sintering exhibit typical antiferromagnetic behaviors and the remnant magnetization and coercive magnetic field increase as the microwave sintering power increases. It is inferred that the optimum microwave sintering power for bismuth ferrite ceramics is 3.4 kW. (C) 2012 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.