Synthesis and Multiferroic Properties of BiFeO₃ Nanotubes

Highly ordered BiFeO₃(BFO) nanotubes with about 200nm in diameter and 60μm in length are fabricated by a sol-gel AAO template method. A perovskite-type structure of BFO is confirmed in the nanotubes by transmission electron microscopy and selected area electron diffraction analysis. The coexistence of ferroelectric and ferromagnetic ordering of these BFO nanotubes at room temperature is demonstrated, giving a remnant polarization of 26μC/cm², a low coercive electric field of 60kV/cm, and a magnetization of 0.18emu/g. In addition, it is found that the leakage behavior of these nanotubes is dominated by the ohmic contact mechanism.