Sol–gel template synthesis and characterization of magnetoelectric CoFe2O4/Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 nanotubes

Magnetoelectric CoFe2O4/Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 composite nanotubes with diameters about 80 and 300 nm, and the length about 100 μm, were prepared by sol–gel template method. The studies with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that the composite material is characterized by the tubular microstructure; and X-ray diffraction (XRD) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) patterns showed the coexistence of spinel CoFe2O4 (CFO) and perovskite Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 (PZT) phases in the composite (CFO/PZT) nanotubes. Magnetic property of the CFO/PZT composite nanotubes was similar to pure CFO nanotubes. Also, the composite nanotubes exhibited ferroelectricity, which was just the same as the pure PZT nanotubes.