Study of phase and chemical composition of Bi1-xNdxFeO3 powders derived by pressureless sintering

Abstract

In the present paper studies on Bi1-xNdxFeO 3 for x =0.1-0.4 are reported. The mixed oxide method followed with pressureless sintering was employed for ceramics fabrication. Thermal behavior of stoichiometric mixtures of simple oxide powders, viz. Bi2O 3, Nd2O3 and Fe2 O3 was studied by simultaneous thermal analysis. It was found that with an increase in neodymium content the weight loss increased from 0.75% to 3.16% for x =0.1 and x =0.4, respectively. It was found that weight loss took place mainly within two temperature ranges, namely △T1 ≈(300-400)°C and △T2 ≈600-800)°C. Bi 1-xNdxFeO3 ceramics was studied in terms of its phase composition (X-ray phase analysis) and chemical composition (EDS method) at room temperature. It was found that Bi1-xNdxFeO 3 suffered structural phase transition from rhombohedral to orthorhombic symmetry with an increase in neodymium concentration x within the range x =(0.2-0.3).