Study of dielectric and magnetic properties of PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3-Mn0.3Co0.6Zn0.4Fe1.7O4 composite

Results of detailed structural, dielectric, magnetic and magnetoelectric studies of (x)PbZr_0.52Ti_0.48O₃-(1−x)Mn_0.3Co_0.6Zn_0.4Fe_1.7O₄ composites where x=65, 70, 75 and 80 are shown in this work. Manganese substituted cobalt ferrites are known to exhibit large strain derivative (dx/dH) and on the other hand substitution of Zn in pure cobalt ferrite is known to enhance its permeability μ and permittivity ε. The choice of ferrite as Mn, Zn simultaneously substituted cobalt ferrite (MCZFO) is made keeping in view that for good magnetoelectric (ME) voltage coefficient the magnetostrictive constituent phase of the composite should have large strain derivative (dx/dH) along with large permittivity and permeability. It is shown here that although the dielectric transition temperature changes significantly with change in the mole ratio of the two component phases, magnetic transition temperature (much less compared to the bulk cobalt ferrite) is relatively non-responsive to the changing molar ratio of the two component phases. In the vicinity of the magnetic transition temperature we observed an anomaly in tan δ vs. T plots, which indicates a possible magnetoelectric coupling in the samples. Magnetoelectric voltage coefficient (α_E) has been measured using static magnetoelectric method. Highest magnetoelectric voltage coefficient (α_E=0.312 mV/cmOe) is obtained for sample 80:20 at H_DC=1000 Oe.