Self-biased magnetoelectric responses in magnetostrictive/piezoelectric composites with different high-permeability alloys

We comparatively investigate the influence of various high-permeability alloys on the hysteretic and remanent resonant magnetoelectric (ME) response in a composite of magnetostrictive nickel (Ni) and piezoelectric Pb(Zr_1-x, Ti_x)O₃ (PZT). In order to implement this comparative research, Co-based amorphous alloy (CoSiB), Fe-based nanocrystalline alloy (FeCuNbSiB) and Fe-based amorphous alloy (FeSiB) are used according to different magnetostriction (λ_s) and saturation magnetization (μ₀M_s) characteristics. The bending and longitudinal resonant ME voltage coefficients (α_ME,b and α_ME,l) are observed comparatively for CoSiB/Ni/PZT, FeCuNbSiB/Ni/PZT, and FeSiB/Ni/PZT composites. The experimental data indicate that the FeSiB/Ni/PZT composite has the largest remanent self-biased α_ME,b and α_ME,l due to the largest magnetic grading of λ_s and μ₀ M_s in the FeSiB/Ni layer. When the number of FeSiB foils is four, the maximum remanent α_ME,b and α_ME,l at zero bias magnetic field are 57.8 V/cm·Oe and 107.6 V/cm·Oe, respectively. It is recommended that the high-permeability alloy is supposed to have larger λ_s and μ₀ M_s for obtaining a larger remanent self-biased ME responses in ME composite with high-permeability alloy.