ELECTRIC AND MAGNETIC PROPERTIES OF Ba0.97Ca0.03Ti0.94Sn0.06O3-Mn0.85Ni0.15Zn0.15Fe2O4 MULTIFERROIC CERAMIC COMPOSITES FABRICATED VIA THE SOLID-STATE COMBUSTION TECHNIQUE

Multiferroic composites with the general formula (1-x)(Ba0.97Ca0.03Ti0.94Sn0.06O3)-x(Mn0.85Ni0.15Zn0.15Fe2O4) (BCTS/MNZF) (x = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5) were prepared using the solid-state combustion method. The structure, morphology, dielectric, ferroelectric, magnetic, and magnetoelectric properties were analyzed. The samples were sintered at 1,300ºC for 2 h. The X-ray Diffraction (XRD) patterns revealed tetragonal perovskite, orthorhombic perovskite, and cubic spinel structures corresponding to the BCTS and MNZF phases. Secondary phases (Mn2O3 and SnO) appeared in the sintered samples with x>0.2. Increasing MNZF content enhanced ferrite grain growth in the composites. The dielectric constant showed an overall decreasing trend with increasing MNZF content, with a smaller effect at lower frequencies. At lower frequencies, the dielectric constant declined with increasing frequency before stabilizing around 10 kHz. As ferrite content increased, the density, dielectric constant, and magnetoelectric coefficient (αME) decreased from 5.66 to 5.12 g/cm³, 1388 to 862, and 7.24 to 4.05 mV/cm·Oe, respectively. While the saturation magnetization (Ms) rose substantially from 0.75 to 13.14 emu/g. These findings offer valuable insights into enhancing lead-free multiferroic composite ceramics for targeted applications in magnetoelectric devices.