Hydrothermal synthesis and multiferroic properties of Y2NiMnO6

Abstract

The double perovskite Y₂NiMnO₆ was prepared by a mild hydrothermal method. The room temperature powder X-ray diffraction analysis shows that it crystallizes in the monoclinic perovskite lattice with space group P2₁/n. Analysis by bond valence sum and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveal its oxide states to be Ni²⁺/Mn⁴⁺. Magnetic behaviours were characterized by DC and AC magnetic susceptibility, as well as magnetization–hysteresis. After the as-synthesized sample was annealed at 1273 K, the order of the arrangement between Ni²⁺ and Mn⁴⁺ increased. Close to the magnetic ordering temperature, a dielectric anomaly was observed at 84 K. The ferroelectric polarization of about 35 μC m⁻² at 77 K was determined by Positive-Up-Negative-Down method, which is induced by up-up-down-down magnetic arrangement as expected theoretically.