Abstract

Flexible wmagnetoelectric polymer nanocomposite films which exhibit ferroelectric and magnetic orderings simultaneously are fabricated. Different weight percentages of NiFe2O4 nanoparticles (particle size of 46 nm) are embedded as fillers in a poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) matrix. A systematic investigations on the effect of the filler on the structural, functional, morphological and thermal properties are discussed. The NiFe2O4 content in PVDF plays a significant role in controlling the conformation (alpha and beta phases), and therefore has a significant effect on the ferroelectric and magnetic properties of the PVDF/NiFe2O4 films. The coexistence of ferroelectric and ferrimagnetic ordering in the films has been shown by P-E and M-H loops. The PVDF/NiFe2O4 film containing a loading of 10 wt% NiFe2O4 nanoparticles exhibits the maximum polarization (3.07 mu C cm(-2)), and represents the optimum loading required to crystallize PVDF in the ferroelectric b phase. Magnetoelectric cross-coupling has been shown to exist by controlling the electrical polarization relating to an applied magnetic field. The conduction mechanism for the observed low leakage current density has also been investigated.