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 Bi_1−xY_xFeO₃ (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 T_C (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 (M_r) and increased the coercivity (H_c). A noticeable change in the magnetic hysteresis loop of Bi_0.75Y_0.25FeO₃ can be triggered by an applied magnetic field and it confirmed the enhancement of magnetic properties.