Karol Kowal

Structure and some magnetic properties of (BiFeO3)x-(BaTiO3)1−x solid solutions prepared by solid-state sintering

Abstract This paper presents the results of the study on structure and magnetic properties of the perovskite-type (BiFeO3)x-(BaTiO3)1−x solid solutions. The samples differing in the chemical composition (x = 0.9, 0.8, and 0.7) were produced according to the conventional solid-state sintering method from the mixture of powders. Moreover, three different variants of the fabrication process differing in the temperatures and soaking time were applied. The results of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Mössbauer spectroscopy (MS), and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) were collected and compared for the set of the investigated materials. The structural transformation from rhombohedral to cubic symmetry was observed for the samples with x = 0.7. With increasing of BaTiO3 concentration Mössbauer spectra become broadened reflecting various configurations of atoms around 57Fe probes. Moreover, gradual decreasing of the average hyperfine magnetic field and macroscopic magnetization were observed with x decreasing.

Magnetoelectric effect in (BiFeO3)x–(BaTiO3)1-x solid solutions

Abstract The aim of the present work was to study magnetoelectric effect (ME) in (BiFeO3)x-(BaTiO3)1-x solid solutions in terms of technological conditions applied in the samples fabrication process. The rapidly growing interest in these materials is caused by their multiferroic behaviour, i.e. coexistence of both electric and magnetic ordering. It creates possibility for many innovative applications, e.g. in steering the magnetic memory by electric field and vice versa. The investigated samples of various chemical compositions (i.e. x = 0.7, 0.8 and 0.9) were prepared by the solid-state sintering method under three sets of technological conditions differing in the applied temperature and soaking time. Measurements of the magnetoelectric voltage coefficient αME were performed using a dynamic lock-in technique. The highest value of αME was observed for 0.7BiFeO3-0.3BaTiO3 solid solution sintered at the highest temperature (T = 1153 K) after initial electrical poling despite that the soaking time was reduced 10 times in this case.

Compositional dependence of hyperfine interactions and magnetoelectric coupling in (BiFeO3)x-(BaTiO3)1–x solid solutions

Abstract In this work the compositional dependence of hyperfine interactions and magnetoelectric coupling in (BiFeO3)x-(BaTiO3)1-x solid solutions where x = 0.5-0.9 fabricated from commercial BaTiO3 in terms of the solid-state sintering method at various temperatures and over different time periods is described. In general, as the content of BaTiO3 increases, a decrease in the hyperfine magnetic field (Bhf) at 57Fe nuclei was observed. However, for samples exhibiting lower homogeneity in which the ions of Bi3+ and Fe3+ are replaced by Ba2+ and Ti4+ with lower probability, higher values of Bhf are obtained. For the sample where x = 0.6 that exhibits the coexistence of rhombohedral, regular and tetragonal phases, the highest value of the αME coefficient (3.57 mV/A) was observed, which is more than three times higher when compared to the hitherto published results.

An application of the value tree analysis methodology within the integrated risk informed decision making for the nuclear facilities

A new framework of integrated risk informed decision making (IRIDM) has been recently developed in order to improve the risk management of the nuclear facilities. IRIDM is a process in which qualitatively different inputs, corresponding to different types of risk, are jointly taken into account. However, the relative importance of the IRIDM inputs and their influence on the decision to be made is difficult to be determined quantitatively. An improvement of this situation can be achieved by application of the Value Tree Analysis (VTA) methods. The aim of this article is to present the VTA methodology in the context of its potential usage in the decision making on nuclear facilities. The benefits of the VTA application within the IRIDM process were identified while making the decision on fuel conversion of the research reactor MARIA.

Mössbauer Spectroscopy and Magnetoelectric Effect Studies of Multiferroic Ceramics Based on BiFeO3

In this work the results of investigations for (BiFeO3)x(BaTiO3)1-x and Bi1-xNdxFeO3 solid solutions are described. Samples were prepared by the conventional solid-state sintering method. X-ray diffraction, 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy, and magnetoelectric effect measurements were applied as complementary methods to determine the structure and magnetic properties of materials. For (BiFeO3)x(BaTiO3)1-x solid solutions Mössbauer spectroscopy revealed the relationship between the content of BiFeO3 and the magnetic properties of the samples. Moreover, the presence of magnetoelectric coupling in (BiFeO3)x(BaTiO3)1-x solid solutions was registered at room temperature for the materials sintered at various temperatures. The maximum value of magnetoelectric voltage coefficient was achieved for 0.7(BiFeO3)0.3(BaTiO3) sintered at 1153K. Structure of Bi1-xNdxFeO3 solid solutions was investigated in the whole range of concentration. Hyperfine interactions parameters were determined for the first time for these solid solutions.