Magnetodielectric property and photocatalytic activity for toxic dye degradation of Bi(Gd)Fe(Ni)O3 nanomaterials

The Bi_1-xGd_xFe_1-yNi_yO₃ (x = 0.00, 0.09; y = 0.00, 0.03, 0.06, 0.09 & 0.12) nanomaterials have been synthesized through the chemical route via solvothermal technique and the structural, morphology, chemical compositions, dielectric, optical, and photocatalytic properties of the samples are studied. The primary rhombohedral crystalline symmetry of R3c space group of all the synthesized nanomaterials has been confirmed from the Rietveld refinement analysis of X-ray diffraction (XRD) data. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) micrographs of synthesized nanomaterials show the change in grain structure for doped samples from pure BFO. The stoichiometric quantity of elemental compositions in pure and doped-BFO nanomaterials has been obtained from the Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX) analysis. The absorption bands at room temperature in all the samples have been studied using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The impact of microstructural grain and grain boundary on the electrical response of the samples has been estimated through the analysis of impedance data. The co-doped samples exhibit improved electric polarization value. The magnetoelectric coefficient, obtained from the measurement of magnetodielectric characteristics, is found to increase by more than two times in the highest concentration co-doped samples compared to that of the pure BFO. The band gap energy of prepared nanoparticles has been measured using UV–Vis spectroscopy at room temperature. The photocatalytic effect of methylene blue (MB) dye degradation with time has been recorded under sunlight irradiation. The total dye degradation efficiency and rate doubles for the highest concentration co-doped nanoparticles than that of pure BFO.