Multifunctional magnetic, optical and electrical nanomaterials processed by sol–gel method

Abstract The magnetic, optical, electrical properties of the multifunctional nanomaterials can be intrinsic ones related to the material itself and can be adjusted and improved by processing parameters. For the sol–gel derived Sr2FeMoO6 double perovskite showing both ferromagnetism near room temperature and colossal magnetoresistive behavior the processing significantly influences the structural parameters and the specific magnetic properties, respectively. On the other hand, dual magnetic and optical behavior of materials can be reached by doping with proper RE–ions where the magnetic and luminescent properties are dominantly given by the RE–ion specific features. The magnetic behavior of nanomaterials can be changed (as for semiconductor oxide nanoparticles SnO2, ZnO or fluorides and chlorides nanocrystals) or tailored (as for MnFe2O4 manganese ferrite spinel, ZnO nanoparticles and BiFeO3 perowskite-type multiferoic) accompanied by new optical features (such as luminescence properties and optical band gap change.