Electrical properties and magnetoelectric effect measurement in (x)Ni_0.8Cu_0.2Fe₂O₄ + (1 − x)Ba_0.9Pb_0.1Ti_0.9Zr_0.1O₃ composites

Composites with compositions (x)Ni_0.8Cu_0.2Fe₂O₄ + (1 − x)Ba_0.9Pb_0.1Ti_0.9Zr_0.1O₃, in which x varies as 0, 0.15, 0.30, 0.45 and 1 mol%, were prepared by a standard ceramic technique. X-ray diffraction was used to carry out the structural analysis. The microstructural analysis was carried out by scanning electron microscopy. The variation in dc resistivity with temperature was studied in the temperature range 300–773 K. The variation of dc resistivity with temperature shows a semiconducting behavior. From ac conductivity measurements in the frequency range 100 Hz to 1 MHz it is concluded that the conduction in the present composites is due to a small polaron hopping. The variations in dielectric constant and loss tangent were also studied. The magnetoelectric effect (ME) (dE/dH)_H was measured as a function of intensity of the dc magnetic field. The maximum value of ME conversion factor was observed to be 431 µV cm⁻¹ Oe⁻¹ for the 15%Ni_0.8Cu_0.2Fe₂O₄+85%Ba_0.9Pb_0.1Ti_0.9Zr_0.1O₃ composite. The ME coefficient has been explained in terms of ferrite–ferroelectric content.