Thermoanalytical Characterization Techniques for Multiferroic Materials

Abstract Multiferroic compounds are multifunctional complex materials with significant potential applications in devices, due to the interactions between their ferroic properties. Thermoanalytical methods are of the most interest for the characterization of different properties of these materials as a function of temperature. In this chapter, the use of methods such as differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), differential thermal analysis (DTA), thermomechanical analysis (TMA), thermodilatometry (TD), dielectric thermal analysis (DEA), complex impedance thermospectroscopy, thermodiffractometry, and spectroscopic measurements under in situ conditions of heating are discussed in relation with their application for multiferroic materials. These measurements provide valuable information about phase transitions, thermal stability, solubility limits, sintering, electrical behavior, conduction mechanism, etc., very relevant for the advance of this field.