Linear anhysteretic direct magnetoelectric effect in Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4/poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) 0-3 nanocomposites

Free-standing flexible magnetoelectric 0-3 composite films, comprising Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 (NZFO) ferrite nanoparticles in a poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) [P(VDF-TrFE)] copolymer matrix, have been prepared at low temperatures by solvent casting and melt crystallization. Ferroelectric, piezoelectric, magnetic and direct magnetoelectric properties of the nanocomposites depend strongly on ferrite concentration. Magnetoelectric voltage coefficients increase linearly with applied dc magnetic-bias fields up to 5 kOe and show no hysteresis. At this field, a maximum magnetoelectric voltage coefficient of 1.35 mV cm-1 Oe-1 was obtained for samples with 15 wt% ferrite using a 40 kHz resonant signal. (fast track communication)