Electro-deposition current density effect on Ni/PZT layered magnetoelectric composites performance

This paper considers the magnetoelectric (ME) effect in Ni/PZT layered ME composites that is related to the preferred crystallographic orientation of electro-deposited Ni layers. The Ni electro-deposition rate increases with applied cathodic current density. High (1 0 0) texture in the Ni layer was obtained at either low or high current densities, which improves the ME composite’s performance. It is advantageous to increase the current density, while trying to avoid hydrogen evolution during electro-deposition to reduce the number of pinhole defects. (Some figures in this article are in colour only in the electronic version)