Strain-mediated electrical and optical properties of novel lead-free CuFe2O4-KNbO3 nanocomposite solid solutions: A combined experimental and Density Functional Theory studies

This article summarizes the strain-mediated electrical and optical properties of novel lead-free xCuFe(2)O(4) (1 - x) KNbO3 (x = 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4) multiferroic nanocomposite through a solid state route. X-ray diffraction analysis divulges the influence of interfacial strain in the KNbO3-CuFe2O4 matrix and shows the coexistence of orthorhombic and cubic spinel phases, respectively. Morphological analysis reveals that the average particle size of 0.3CuFe(2)O(4)-0.7KNbO(3) is 25 nm which is smaller than the other two nanocomposites. The UV-visible absorption studies and Raman spectroscopy of 0.3CuFe(2)O(4)-0.7KNbO(3) nanocomposite present the high energy bandgap and electro coupling of KNbO3 and CuFe2O4 phases. The DFT theoretical bandgap behaviors of all the three nanocomposites synchronize with the experimental bandgap results. Dielectric, ferroelectric and magnetoelectric behaviors are also improved in 0.3CuFe(2)O(4)-0.7KNbO(3) nanocomposite as compared to pristine KNbO3 and the other two nanocomposites.

Automated summary

This article summarizes the strain-mediated electrical and optical properties of novel lead-free xCuFe(2)O(4) (1 - x) KNbO3 (x = 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4) multiferroic nanocomposite through a solid state route. Experimental results show improvements in particle size, absorption characteristics, spectroscopic analysis, bandgap behavior, as well as dielectric, ferroelectric, and magnetoelectric behaviors of the nanocomposite materials.