Preparation of ferromagnetic and ferroelectric nanocomposites using the colloidal templating method

• Published in: Solid state communications 2003-12, Vol.128 (9), p.339-343
• Main Authors: Kim, Young Nam, Chi, Eun Ok, Kim, Jin Chul, Lee, Eun Kwang, Hur, Nam Hwi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: A. Ferroelectrics; A. Magnetically ordered materials; C. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Dielectric, piezoelectric, ferroelectric and antiferroelectric materials; Dielectrics, piezoelectrics, and ferroelectrics and their properties; Exact sciences and technology; Magnetic properties and materials; Magnetotransport phenomena, materials for magnetotransport; Manganites; Niobates, titanates, tantalates, pzt ceramics, etc; Physics
• ISSN: 0038-1098; 1879-2766
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ssc.2003.08.045

We have prepared nano-composite materials that are composed of ferromagnetic (FM) and ferroelectric (FE) compounds using the colloidal templating technique. By using polymethyl methacrylate colloidal crystals as templates, first we prepared highly ordered macroporous FM perovskite manganite with a composition of La 0.7Ca 0.3MnO 3 (LCMO) by removing the polymer templates. Various FM/FE nanocomposite materials were manufactured by infiltrating compounds with FE properties such as BaTiO 3, PbZr 0.2Ti 0.8O 3, and Bi 4Ti 3O 12 into the void regions of the macroporous LCMO parent framework, followed by sintering the infiltrated materials at high temperature. The SEM images exhibit clear filling of the FE materials into the voids but the magnetization data reveal that the volume fractions of the FE components are in the range of 33–42%. This is largely due to the evaporation of organic moieties included in the precursor materials after sintering.