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Synthesis, thermal, structural, and magnetic properties of phase-pure nanocrystalline BiFeO3 via wet chemical route

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Abstract

The phase-pure BiFeO3 (BFO) nanoparticles with an average size of ~64 nm were synthesized by using malonic acid through modified Pechini-type sol–gel method. Malonic acid, being a chelating agent, greatly reduced the preparation time by forming gels quickly. Rietveld refinement of X-ray diffraction pattern reveals the phase purity of the BFO nanoparticles. The observed size of the polycrystalline particles found from TEM is comparable with the spin periodicity of BFO. The correlation between the size and magnetic property of the samples has been established by analyzing the M–H loops of the samples. Antiferromagnetic, ferromagnetic-, and paramagnetic-like properties have been observed. The split between ZFC and FC curves reveals a spin-glass-like behavior and the size effect of BFO nanoparticles at low temperatures.

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Acknowledgments

R. K and S. V. V thank the University Grants Commission (UGC), Government of India, for the financial support through the Major Research Project (MRP) F. No. 42-827/2013(SR).

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Author notes

  1. G. Suresh

    Present address: Department of Urology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, 169 856, Singapore

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Presidency College, Chennai, 600 005, India

    S. V. Vijayasundaram & R. Kanagadurai

  2. Department of Physics, Park College of Engineering and Technology, Coimbatore, 641 659, India

    G. Suresh

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Vijayasundaram, S.V., Suresh, G. & Kanagadurai, R. Synthesis, thermal, structural, and magnetic properties of phase-pure nanocrystalline BiFeO3 via wet chemical route. Appl. Phys. A 121, 681–688 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-015-9454-z

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