EFFECT OF CATIONIC SUBSTITUTION ON THE STRUCTURAL, MICROSTRUCTURAL AND MAGNETIC PROPERTIES OF BIFEO3 SYSTEM

Abstract

This paper presents the effect on the structural characteristics and magnetic properties of replacement of cations occupying sites A and B, in the crystal structure of BiFeO3 (BFO) in their structural and magnetic properties. The citrate gel method was  used  to  synthesize  powders  of  the  systems  Bi1-xLaxFeO3  with  (x =  0.10,  0.15,  0.20),  BiFe1-yCoyO3  (y  =  0.03,  0.06, 0.09) and Bi1-xLaxFe1-yCoyO3 with x = 0.10, 0.15, 0.20 and y = 0.03). The obtained powders were subjected to a leaching process  to  minimize  unwanted  phases.  It  was  observed,  using  structural  characterization  by  X-ray  diffraction,  and morphological characterization by scanning electron microscopy, that cationic substitution alters the crystal structure and the  particle  size  of  BFO.  Addition  of  lanthanum  and  cobalt  generates  ferromagnetic  behaviour  reflected  in  magnetic hysteresis curves obtained at room temperature.