INFLUENCE OF DOPING ION VALENCE AND SIZE ON PROPERTIES OF BiFeO3 MATERIALS

Abstract

Bismuth ferrite (BiFeO3) is one of the most promising single multiferroic materials, and for sure the most studied one. It expresses specific magnetic and electric properties well above the room temperature. However, the nature of its properties is still arguable. In this study, an attempt to reveal some of the peculiarities of BiFeO3 by introducing metal ions of various valences and sizes in the places of Bi3+ and Fe3+ ions. Powders with 5 mol% of doping metals were synthesized by auto-combustion method using glycine as a fuel. The powders and ceramic samples prepared from them were characterized. At this level, doping ions make significant change in structure, phase composition, rate of the solid state reaction, microstructure, conductivity, electrical polarization and magnetization. Potential mechanisms of their influence on different properties are discussed.