Electrophoretic deposition of bilayer composite films based on CoFe2O4/TiO2 and PZT

The optimization of magnetoelectric (ME) energy harvesting and interconversion of energy stored in electric and magnetic fields is a key feature for the development of self-powered devices. ME composite structures with highly magnetostrictive material (spinel cobalt ferrite, CFO, in our case) and piezoelectric one (generally a perovskite phase like lead zirconate titanate, PZTN, in our case) are chosen for their high quality (Q) value, in order to produce instantaneous strong discharge power to drive wireless sensor systems at long distance. In fact the structures can harvest energy continuously and accumulate it in a long period, from the weak power density in the ambient electromagnetic radiation (generally less than 1 ?W/cm2) [1]. The electrophoretic deposition (EPD) is a low cost and flexible technique for to shape nanoparticles into multilayered heterostructures. The combination of different materials by EPD, showing promising ME coupling, can be regarded as a useful, preliminary approach in the search of novel ME materials for many applications, potentially with great industrial and technological benefits [2].