BiFeO3 is considered as a single phase multiferroic. However, its magnetism is very weak. We study the magnetic properties of BiFeO3 by Cu and (Cu, Zn). Polycrystalline samples Bi(Fe0.95Cu0.05)O3 and BiFe0.95(Zn0.025Cu0.025)O3 are prepared by the sol-gel method. The magnetic properties of BiFe0.95(Zn0.025Cu0.025)O3 are greater than that of BiFeO3 and Bi(Fe0.95Cu0.05)O3. The analyses of X-ray absorption fine structure data show that the doped Cu atoms well occupy the sites of the Fe atoms. X-ray absorption near edge spectra data confirm that the valence state of Fe ions does not change. Cu and Zn metal ion co-doping has no impact on the local structure of the Fe and Bi atoms. The modification of magnetism by doping Zn can be understood by the view of the occupation site of non-magnetically active Zn2+.
Copper oxides films as promising materials for gas sensors applications were studied. Copper oxide films were deposited onto Si/SiO2substrates using a citrate sol-gel method with the subsequent temperature treatment at 150-5000C. These films were characterized by means of secondary electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray-absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy. The prepared films were utilized in NO2sensors. The dependences of the NO2response on the operating temperature and NO2concentration (10-200 ppm) were investigated. The maximum NO2response was achieved for the film annealed at 2500C.
Effects of lattice defects on cathode properties of LiMn2O4 synthesized at low temperatures were
investigated. LiMn2O4 powders were synthesized by a sol-gel method. The specific capacities of
LiMn2O4 decreased from 134 to 81 mAh g-1 with decreasing heating temperature from 750 to 200°C.
X-ray absorption spectroscopy showed that a large amount of lattice defects such as cation
vacancies existed and cation mixing occurred in LiMn2O4 calcined at low temperatures. It was
found that the low specific capacities of LiMn2O4 calcined at low temperatures were attributed to
these lattice defects.
The formation of a carbonate-containing hydroxyapatite, HCAp, layer on bioactive calcium silicate sol-gel glass of the formula (CaO)0.3(SiO2)0.7 has been studied in-vitro in Simulated Body Fluid (SBF). Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS), X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (XANES), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements have been performed with results showing the formation of a significantly amorphous HCAp layer after less than 5 hours in solution.
Bi0.95Eu0.05Fe0.95Co0.05O3 Nanoparticles sample was prepared by sol-gel process. The microstructure of samples was analysised by X-ray diffraction(XRD), the result indicated that it was the single phase rhombohedral perovskite structure. The morphology of samples was measured by scanning electron microsopy(SEM), the SEM photograph of samples indicated that the nanoparticles of Bi0.95Eu0.05Fe0.95Co0.05O3 sample were small than that of BiFeO3. The valence states of Fe ions in the samples was analysised by the X-ray absorption spectroscopy（XAS）. The XAS of Fe2p showed that it was the mixed valence states (Fe2+ and Fe3+) of Fe ions in samples, and the binding energy of Bi0.95Eu0.05Fe0.95Co0.05O3 was bigger than that of BiFeO3.The magnetic characteristics of the samples were measured by vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM)，the results showed that the weak metamagnetism were obtained from clear hysteresis loop and the magnetic saturation reached 0.408emu/g，compared with BiFeO3 sample, the magnetic properties were significantly enhanced.
The Study of Magnetic Properties for Non-Magnetic Ions Doped BiFeO3