IMF2017

Multiferroic materials have attracted interest due to the presence of more than one ferroic order, for example magnetic and electric orders, in the same phase. This particular coupling phenomenon is known as magnetoelectric (ME) effect. The composites combining piezoelectric and ferrite compositions exhibit unique properties observed neither in the ferrite nor in the piezoelectric phase. Thus, in order to enhance the ME effect, piezoelectric/magnetostrictive composites have been exploited. Among some different configurations to prepare composite materials, the core-shell nanoparticles are also investigated as a beneficial starting material for magnetoelectric nanocomposite (MENC) materials. Particularly, cobalt ferrite-barium titanate in a core-shell configuration has been investigated due to appropriate individual (magnetostrictive and piezoelectric) properties of the components at room temperature. In addition, their chemical and mechanical stability and nontoxic properties are also important in applications regarding the environment and biological applications. In this work we prepared MENC’s in a core-shell configuration with a narrow size distribution. A combination of polymeric and citrate methods was used for the MENC’s syntheses. The structural characterizations of the obtained MENC’s were performed by X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). A core-shell morphology of MENC’s was observed by transmission electron microscopy. The topography of the surface was observed by atomic force microscopy. Finally, the ferrimagnetic character of the MENC’s was observed in the magnetic characterizations obtained in a vibrating sample magnetometer and magnetic force microscopy.