Investigation of polymer-based composites for optimized magnetoelectric performance in multifunctional applications

Materials with multifunctional properties are of great significance in science and engineering. Especially, magnetoelectric multiferroic materials that are widely used in sensors, data storage, and energy harvesting technologies. Polymer-based (PVDF-based) composites with (PrFeO3)0.24-(PbTiO3)0.76 (PFPT) as a filler, were synthesized to explore their potential in multifunctional materials for advanced magnetoelectric applications. PVDF (Polyvinylidene Fluoride) is an electroactive polymer commonly used as a polymer matrix. PFPT was prepared using the solid-state route and dispersed in the PVDF matrix. The composites were fabricated with varying PFPT filler concentrations and their structural, microstructural, ferroelectric, magnetic, and magnetoelectric properties were systematically investigated. The maximum magnetoelectric response was observed in composites with lower magnetization and polarization, revealing an intriguing interplay between filler concentration and coupling efficiency. The frequency scan was observed for a range between 150 and 500 Hz. The maximum magnetoelectric coefficient alpha = 63.041 mVcm-1Oe-1 was observed for the lowest filler concentration of 0.1 g sample at 170 Hz for AC magnetic field (20 Oe), surpassing all the previous reported values at zero bias DC magnetic field for polymer-based composites with 0-3 connectivity. In the 0.1 g sample, the ME coefficient raised from 59.25 mVcm-1Oe-1 at 110 Hz, reaching the maximum value of 63.041 mVcm-1Oe-1 at 170 Hz, before gradually decreasing at higher frequencies. This behavior shows that the ME coefficient influences the magnetic and ferroelectric properties of the composite as well as the coupling efficiency between them.