Elastically coupled ferromagnetic and ferroelectric microparticles: New multiferroic materials based on polymer, NdFeB and PZT particles

•Multiferroic elastomers combine elastic, magnetic and electric properties.•Magnetoelectric effect was obtained for multiferroic elastomers.•Changes of Ec and Pr in magnetic field was described.•The model of displacements of FEp and FMp in electric or magnetic field was proposed.•The computer modeling was carried out and it confirmed the experimental data. The multiferroic materials are multifunctional materials which combine elastic, magnetic and electric properties. New multiferroic materials, namely, multiferroic elastomers, or MfEs, on the basis of polymer matrix with both ferromagnetic (FM) NdFeB and ferroelectric (FE) PZT microparticles were investigated in the work. The magnetoelectric transformation was obtained for the three-phases samples and was investigated for MfEs with different ratios and concentrations of FM and FE particles. Displacement of the first type of particles under external field certainly leads to displacement of the second type of particles – this effect we define as elastic coupling between FM and FE particles. Modeling of the mutual displacements of FE and FM particles in elastic medium in external electric or/and magnetic fields was carried out.