Structural, dielectric, ferroelectric and ferromagnetic properties in Fe-substituted BCT ceramics for energy storage and capacitor applications

High-density polycrystalline ferroelectric ceramics having compositional formula Ba0.70Ca0.30Ti1−xFexO3, BCTF (with x = 0.000, 0.010 and 0.015) were prepared by solid-state reaction route. The samples were sintered at 1325 °C for 4 h. The samples were investigated for structural, dielectric, ferroelectric and magnetic properties. Raman and X-ray diffraction analysis confirms the tetragonal phase in all the samples. It can be observed from the dielectric versus temperature curves that all the prepared compositions showed a diffused phase transition. The Curie temperature was observed to be decreasing from 93 °C to 72 °C with the increase in Fe content. PE hysteresis loops were recorded at different electric fields. Pinched hysteresis loops were observed for all the samples, wherein, the pinching increased with the increase in Fe content. The energy density ‘Ed’ and efficiency ‘η’ were calculated from the PE loops. A high value of Ed = 0.15 J/cm3 with an efficiency of 67% was observed for the sample with x = 0.015 at 35 kV/cm. MH hysteresis loops were recorded at room temperature for all the prepared samples. The simultaneous observations of PE and MH hysteresis loops confirm the multiferroicity in the prepared samples.