Experimental study of the effect of yttrium on the structural, thermal, and magnetic properties of BiFeO3

In this paper, structural, thermal, and magnetic properties of Bi1−xYxFeO3 (BYFO, x = 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2, and 0.25) nanoceramics have been studied. We have synthesized BYFO nanoceramics using solid-state reaction method followed by sintering. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and microstructural analysis showed that all as-prepared samples have a single-phase perovskite structure. Differential thermal analysis (DTA) indicated that TC (ferroelectric–paraelectric transition) is decreased with the addition of yttrium into the BFO structure. Magnetic properties of the samples were examined by vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). We have observed the enhancement of magnetization by increasing yttrium content. Y-substitution decreased remanent magnetization (Mr) and increased the coercivity (Hc). A noticeable change in the magnetic hysteresis loop of Bi0.75Y0.25FeO3 can be triggered by an applied magnetic field and it confirmed the enhancement of magnetic properties.