Size-dependent structural parameters, optical, and magnetic properties of facile synthesized pure-phase BiFeO3

The pure-phase BiFeO 3 was obtained in one stage by solution combustion synthesis. The influence of the heat treatment process on the phase composition, magnetic, and optical properties was studied. The calcination of the powder led to a decrease in the fraction of the impurity phase from 7 to 1% and an increase in the crystallite size. X-ray diffraction revealed the formation of a pure phase upon heat treatment at 600 °C. The band gap of the samples increases from 1.91 to 2.06 eV with an increase in the crystallite size. M–H loops measured at room temperature showed a strong ferromagnetic character. For the initial powder, M s was ~ 1.9 emu/g. The dependence of the magnetic properties on the crystallite size has been established.