Multiferroic Pb(Fe2/3W1/3)O3-PbTiO3 (PFW-PT) ceramics were synthesized via a modified two-stage solid-state reaction. This method utilized Fe2WO6, prepared at a first-stage, which was subsequently reacted with a stoichiometric amount of PbO and TiO2 at the second stage. This procedure efficiently suppressed the formation of lead tungstates and leads to getting dense ceramics. Electric and dielectric properties of (1-x)Pb(Fe2/3W1/3)O3 -xPbTiO3 solid solutions were investigated as a function of the frequency and temperature. All samples present density higher than 96% of the theoretical one, low percentage of pyrochlore phase (<2%) and relatively high electrical resistivity (<10(10) Ω.m). RF dielectric measurements over the temperature showed the presence of a peak, which is related to the ferro-paraelectric phase transition and conductive contributions (in the range 200-700 K), associated to a electronic hoping mechanism. The dielectric properties of the PFW shows a typical relaxor behaviour for x = 0 and 0.10 with frequency-dependent peak temperature (Tm), while the samples with higher PT-content undergo a 'normal' para-ferroelectric transition at the Curie temperature T C.The FE phase transition of PFW is shifted to higher temperatures by PbTiO3 (PT) additions and high resistivity are obtained for PT containing samples. Different types of magnetic activity dependent on composition and temperature were found.

Gd5(Ge1-xSi x), x < 4 based alloys are potential candidates for magnetic refrigeration in the range ~20 - ~290 K. However, one of the greatest obstacles for the use of that technology in large scale is the utilization of high pure Gd metal (99.99 wt. (%)) to produce the GdGeSi alloys, since the impurity elements decrease the intensity of the magnetocaloric effect (EMC)¹. In this work, we prove that annealing of the Gd5Ge2Si2 can promote remarkable values for the EMC in comparison to those obtained for the alloy with high pure Gd. Also, the as cast alloy and the annealed alloy are not monophasic, but have at least two crystalline phases in their microstructure. Results for X-ray analysis, optical and electronic microscopy and magnetization measurements are reported.