Structural, magnetic and electric properties of multiferroic NiFe2O4-BaTiO3 composites

The room-temperature magnetoelastic coupling has been demonstrated in (x)NiFe2O4 + (1 - x)BaTiO3 (where x = 0-1 with a difference of 0.1) composite system by investigating its structural, magnetic and ferroelectric properties. The samples were prepared by the standard solid-state reaction method and characterized by x-ray diffraction, backscattered scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy techniques. The temperature dependent magnetization data clearly show significant jumps in magnetization curves at structural phase transitions of BaTiO3, signifying the strain-mediated converse magnetoelectric (CME) coupling in NiFe2O4-BaTiO3 multiferroic system. The substantial changes observed in the obtained parameters from structural, magnetic and ferroelectric properties clearly ensure the strain-mediated magnetoelectric (ME) as well as CME effects in this system. The present investigation indicates that the NiFe2O4-BaTiO3 composite system will be a potential candidate for the future low-power consumption device applications at room temperature.