Effect of electric field on the dielectric and magnetic properties of random nanocomposites

Highlight• The Ag/Zr_0.9Ni_0.1O_y nanocomposites were synthesized by co-precipitation technique. • The electrical, magnetical and optical characterization of Ag/Zr_0.9Ni_0.1O_y nanocomposites is studied. • A negative permittivity and negative permeability behavior of Ag/Zr_0.9Ni_0.1O_y nanocomposites was found. • Ag nanowires can be efficiently driven to align, to chain in parallel directions using ac electric field. In this work, dielectric and magnetic properties of Ag/Zr_0.9Ni_0.1O_y nanocomposite subjected to an ac electric field were investigated. We showed that with the application of ac electric field with a quadrupole electrode, Ag nanowires can be efficiently driven to align, to the chain in parallel directions. The morphology and structure properties of Ag/Zr_0.9Ni_0.1O_y nanocomposite were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. The permittivity and permeability measurements showed that the sample subjected to an ac electric field for 8 s was a promising candidate for the double negative materials (DNMs).