Structural studies with the use of XRD and Mössbauer spectroscopy of Bi5Ti3FeO15 ceramic powders obtained by mechanical synthesis

Abstract

In this paper the structural and Mössbauer spectral properties of multiferroic ceramic Bi5Ti3FeO15 powders prepared by high-energy ball milling of polycrystalline precursor material (mixture of Bi3O3, TiO2 and Fe 2O3 powders) are presented. Mechanical synthesis was performed by high-energy vibratory mill. The X-ray diffraction methods were applied for the structure characterization of the studied samples. The parameters of diffraction line profiles were determined by PRO-FIT Toraya procedure. The crystallite sizes and lattice distortions were analyzed using the Williamson-Hall method. Investigations of hyperfine interactions in the studied materials were carried out by the Mössbauer spectroscopy. The powder morphology was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy techniques. It was found that during high-energy milling phase transitions, a decrease in crystallite size and amorphization process are observed.