EFFECT OF CHELATING AGENTS, SINTERED TEMPERATURE AND HEAT TREATMENT DURATION ON THE STRUCTURAL AND ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES OF BiFeO3

Abstract

A multiferroics BiFeO3 (BFO) samples are prepared by co-precipitation and sol-gel methods. Various combinations of chelating agent, sintering temperature and heat treatment durations tried to prepare single phase BiFeO3 samples. Sol-gel method is found more suitable to synthesize phase pure BiFeO3 samples. The samples were characterized by XRD, SEM, EDX, Electrical resistivity and optical reflectivity measurements. The distorted rhombohedral perovskite structure R3c has been confirmed. The grain size and lattice constant of the samples are also calculated using XRD patterns. The resistivity of the samples is measured at room temperature. The resistivity is found to increase on changing the chelating agent from Tartaric acid to Tartaric acid plus Ethylene glycol. The resistivity reveals the semi conductivity behavior of the BFO samples. The measurement of infrared reflectivity of BFO samples at room temperature reveals optical phonons. The resonant frequency of the phonon modes is determined and reported.