Preparation and magnetic properties of the (1-x)BiFeO3 – xBaTiO3 solid solutions

(1-x)BiFeO3 – xBaTiO3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.30) ceramics were prepared by the solid state reaction method. After sintering at 800°C/1h and slow cooling, single phase compositions were obtained for both presintered and sintered samples, including the composition x=0, which was rarely reported. The gradual attenuation of the rhombohedral distortion with the increase of BaTiO3 content was pointed out. The BaTiO3 admixture acts also as inhibitor for the grain growth process, contributing to the decrease of the average grain size. The compositions corresponding to x=0.30 exhibits multiferroic behavior at room temperature, having both antiferromagnetic and ferroelectric order and low losses (< 3%). The Raman activity proved the existence of the local non-centrosymmetry and of some grain boundary characteristics at room temperature. The magnetic data indicates a composition-dependent antiferromagnetic character.