Effects of different microwave calcination temperatures on the pure BiFeO3 ceramics prepared by microwave hydrothermal method

Monophasic rhombohedral structure of high pure BiFeO₃ was successfully synthesized by microwave hydrothermal method. Then the obtained powders are processed under different microwave calcination temperatures. The results show that the microwave calcination temperature can dramatically affect the structural, microstructural, dielectric, ferroelectric and magnetic behavior of BiFeO₃ ceramics. The morphologies of the BiFeO₃ were investigated by using scanning electron microscopy. XRD and Raman results show that the BiFeO₃ ceramics calcined under 550°C, 650°C and 750°C possessed the highest purity and crystallinity. The ferroelectric hysteresis loop measurements indicate that the P_s of BiFeO₃ ceramics calcined under 750°C is around 1.4 μC/cm². Finally, the VSM results show that the BiFeO₃ ceramics exhibit a weak anti-ferromagnetic behavior and the BiFeO₃ ceramics of uncalcined and that calcined at 750°C show the maximum M_s.