Synthesis, Characterization, and Optimization of Magnetoelectric BaTiO3-Iron Oxide Core-Shell Nanoparticles

Nanomaterials (Basel). 2020 Mar 20;10(3):563. doi: 10.3390/nano10030563.

Abstract

Improvement of magnetic, electronic, optical, and catalytic properties in cutting-edge technologies including drug delivery, energy storage, magnetic transistor, and spintronics requires novel nanomaterials. This article discusses the unique, clean, and homogeneous physiochemical synthesis of BaTiO3/iron oxide core-shell nanoparticles with interfaces between ferroelectric and ferromagnetic materials. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy displayed the distinguished disparity between the core and shell of the synthesized nanoparticles. Elemental mapping and line scan confirmed the formation of the core-shell structure. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy detected the surface iron oxide phase as maghemite. Rietveld analysis of the X-ray diffraction data labeled the crystallinity and phase purity. This study provides a promising platform for the desirable property development of the futuristic multifunctional nanodevices.

Keywords: core–shell; energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy; magnetic iron-oxides; nanoparticles; oxide-nanomaterials synthesis; perovskite oxide; superparamagnetism.