Large magnetodielectric response in Pr0.6Ca0.4MnO3/ polyvinylidene fluoride nanocomposites

We have studied the magnetic field effect on low frequency dielectric properties of Pr0.6Ca0.4MnO3/polyvinylidene fluoride nanocomposite with 22.5% volume fraction of Pr0.6Ca0.4MnO3 nanoparticles. A strong magnetodielectric response was observed below 120 K where Pr0.6Ca0.4MnO3 nanoparticles show the magnetic phase transition indicating a direct correlation between magnetism and dielectric properties. A large change of the dielectric permittivity ~ 30% has been observed in a magnetic field of 4.6 T with loss as low as 0.17 at 70 K. The observed magnetodielectric response has been attributed to the decrement of polaron activation barrier of Pr0.6Ca0.4MnO3 nanoparticles with the increase of magnetic field.