(Bi0.5Na0.5)0.94Ba0.06TiO3 lead-free ceramics with simultaneous addition of CeO2 and La2O3

(Bi_0.5Na_0.5)_0.94Ba_0.06TiO₃ (BNBT-6) with simultaneous addition of 0.5 mol% CeO₂ and 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75 mol% La₂O₃, respectively, was prepared by a conventional ceramic fabrication technique. An addition of 0.5 mol% CeO₂ together with 0.5 mol% La₂O₃ enhanced the piezoelectric and dielectric constant of BNBT-6 ceramics significantly. At room temperature, this composition exhibits a high piezoelectric constant (d₃₃=162×10^-12 C/N) and relatively low dielectric loss (cos=2.0%) at 1 kHz. X-ray diffraction pattern shows that the coexistence of tetragonal and rhombohedral phases in the BNBT-6 composition was not changed by adding CeO₂+La₂O₃, and they diffused into the BNBT lattice during sintering. SEM observation indicates that a small amount of CeO₂+La₂O₃ almost does not affect the microstructure. PACS 77.65.Bn; 77.84.Dy; 77.22.-d     

Structural and electrical characteristics of rare earth simple perovskite oxide La0.57Nd0.1Pb0.33Mn0.8Ti0.2O3

Polycrystalline La_0.57Nd_0.1Pb_0.33Mn_0.8Ti_0.2O₃ (LNPMT) is prepared by the solid-state reaction technique. The formation of single phase material was confirmed by X-ray diffraction studies, and it was found to be a rhombohedral phase at room temperature. The impedance plane plot shows semicircle arcs at different temperatures and an electrical equivalent circuit has been proposed to explain the impedance results. The frequency dependent conductivity spectra follow the universal power law. The activation energy deduced from analysis of the imaginary part of electric modulus and imaginary impedance is found to be ∼75 meV. Such a value of activation energy indicates that the conduction mechanism for the sample is due to electron hopping. The imaginary part of the electric modulus suggests that the relaxation describes the same mechanism at various temperatures.     

High-temperature impedance spectroscopy of BaFe0.5Nb0.5O3 ceramics doped with Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3

Bi_0.5Na_0.5TiO₃ (BNT)-doped BaFe_0.5Nb_0.5O₃ (BFN) ceramics were synthesized by a two-step solid-state reaction. Temperature dependence of dielectric properties measured at different frequencies was investigated over broad temperature and frequency ranges. Impedance spectroscopy and universal dielectric response were employed to study the relaxation behavior and conductivity mechanism of the ceramics in a frequency range from 40 Hz to 100 MHz and a temperature range from 300 K to 800 K. The complex plane impedance data revealed the bulk and grain boundary contributions toward conductivity processes in the form of semicircular arcs. The high-temperature conductivity of ceramics is attributable to thermally activated second ionized oxygen vacancy.     

Impedance spectroscopy analysis of Li<Subscript>2</Subscript>SnO<Subscript>3</Subscript>

In this work, Li₂SnO₃ has been synthesized by the sol–gel method using acetates of lithium and tin. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) has been applied to the precursor of Li₂SnO₃ to determine the suitable calcination temperature. The formation of the compound calcined at 800 °C for 9 h has been confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The Li₂SnO₃ is then pelletized and electrically characterized by using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in the frequency range from 50 Hz to 1 MHz. The complex impedance spectra clearly show the dominating presence of the grain boundary effect on electrical properties whereas the complex modulus plots reveal two semicircles which are due to the grain (bulk) and grain boundary. The spectra of imaginary parts of both impedance and modulus versus frequency show the existence of peaks with the modulus plots exhibiting two peaks that are ascribed to the grain and grain boundary of the material. The peak maximum shifts to higher frequency with an increase in temperature and the broad nature of the peaks indicates the non-Debye nature of Li₂SnO₃. The activation energy associated with the dielectric relaxation obtained from the electrical impedance spectra is 0.67 eV. From the electric modulus spectra, the activation energies related to conductivity relaxation in the grain and grain boundary of Li₂SnO₃ are 0.59 and 0.69 eV, respectively. The conductivity–temperature relationship is thermally assisted and obeys the Arrhenius rule with the activation energy of 0.66 eV. The conduction mechanism of Li₂SnO₃ is via hopping.     

High temperature transport properties of Ag-added (Ca0.975La0.025)3Co4O9 ceramics

Ag-added (Ca_0.975La_0.025)₃Co₄O₉ ceramics were fabricated using spark plasma sintering from the precursor powder synthesized by a polyacrylamide gel method. The results indicated that Ag precipitated as a second phase in Ca₃Co₄O₉ matrix. The addition of Ag was effective in enhancing the electrical conductivity and had a slight effect on Seebeck coefficient. In addition, the temperature dependence of electrical conductivity showed that the hole hopping conduction mechanism was dominant for the Ag-added (Ca_0.975La_0.025)₃Co₄O₉ ceramics. The activation energy remained unchanged with the increasing Ag content. The thermoelectric power factor of Ag-added (Ca_0.975La_0.025)₃Co₄O₉ ceramics reached about 5×10⁻⁴ Wm⁻¹ K⁻² at 700 °C, suggesting a promising thermoelectric oxide candidate at high temperatures.     

Sintering and electrical properties of Na0.5K0.5NbO3 ceramics modified with lanthanum and iron oxides

Effects of La³⁺, Fe³⁺ doping and their co-doping on the sintering, structures and electrical properties of Na_0.5K_0.5NbO₃ (NKN) ceramics were investigated. A significant modification of sintering behavior can be obtained by the addition of Fe₂O₃. On the contrary, the addition of La₂O₃ and La–FeO₃ tends to degrade the densification. Moreover, Fe³⁺ doping does not change the crystal structure, thus leading to an unchanged Curie temperature. Owing to a transition from orthorhombic to pseudo-cubic structures, the Curie temperatures of NKN ceramics were significantly lowered by doping La₂O₃ and La–FeO₃. NKN ceramics modified with a small amount of Fe₂O₃ and La–FeO₃ (less than 0.5 mol%) exhibit improved ferroelectric, piezoelectric and electromechanical properties.     

Hopping type of conduction in (Na0.5Bi0.5)ZrO3 ceramic

Polycrystalline sample with (Na_0.5Bi_0.5)ZrO₃ (NBZ) stoichiometry was prepared using a high-temperature solid-state reaction technique. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses indicate the formation of a single-phase perovskite-type orthorhombic structure. AC impedance plot is used as tool to analyse the electrical behaviour of the sample as a function of temperature at different frequency. The AC impedance studies revealed the presence of grain boundary effect and evidence of a negative temperature coefficient of resistance (NTCR) character. Pseudo Cole-Cole and complex electric modulus analyses indicated non-Debye-type dielectric relaxation. The AC conductivity obeys the universal power law. The pair approximation type correlated barrier hopping (CBH) model explains the universal behaviour of the s exponent. The apparent activation energy to the conduction process and minimum hopping distance are discussed.     

Effect of La3+ and Pr3+ co-doping on structural,thermal and electrical properties of ceria ceramics as solid electrolytes for IT-SOFC applications

In the present investigation, the effect of La³⁺ and Pr³⁺ co-doping on structural, thermal and electrical properties of ceria ceramics useful as solid electrolytes in intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs) has been studied. The co-doped ceria Ce_0.8Pr_0.2–xLa_xO_2-δ samples have been prepared successfully via sol-gel auto-combustion synthesis. The high dense ceramic samples have been achieved by carry out an optimized conventional sintering at 1300 °C for 4 h. The powder X-ray diffraction analysis of all the co-doped ceria ceramics revealed the single phase with cubic-fluorite structure formation. Crystallographic information has been carried out from the powder X-ray diffraction and Rietveld refinement analysis. The scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive spectroscopy analysis revealed the smaller grain size with high density in microstructure and stoichiometric elemental confirmations. Raman spectra of prepared ceramics revealed the information of phase and oxygen vacancy formation in the entire compositions. The dilatometric studies of prepared co-doped ceria ceramics revealed the moderate coefficients of thermal expansion. The electrical parameters such as total conductivities and activation energies have been studied with the help of impedance spectroscopy. Among all these co-doped ceria ceramic samples, Ce_0.80Pr_0.10La_0.10O_2−δ found to exhibit the highest value of total ionic conductivity with minimum activation energy and this makes it could be a promising electrolyte material for IT-SOFC applications.     

Electrical conductivity and complex impedance analysis of 20% Ti-doped La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 perovskite

The electrical conductance of 20% Ti-doped La_0.7Sr_0.3MnO₃ (LSMO) was measured using admittance spectroscopy over a wide temperature and frequency ranges. The impedance plane plot shows semicircle arcs at different temperatures and an electrical equivalent circuit has been proposed to explain the impedance results. Activation energy inferred from conductance spectrum matches very well with the value estimated from relaxation time indicating that relaxation process and conductivity have the same origin. The electrical conductance of La_0.7Sr_0.3Mn_0.8Ti_0.2O₃ is found to be dependent on temperature and frequency. Also, the electronic conduction appears to be dominated by thermally activated hopping of small polaron (SPH) at high temperatures and by variable range hopping (VRH) at low temperatures.     

Dielectric relaxation and ac conductivity study of Ba(Sr1/3Nb2/3)O3

Single phase perovskite Ba(Sr_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃ ceramics was prepared using the columbite precursor method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique is used to verify the single phase formation. It stabilizes in hexagonal phase with lattice constants a=12.1243 Å and c=15.3747 Å. Impedance analysis shows distributed relaxation time. Single semicircular arc observed in complex impedance plot confirms that only semiconducting grains are contributing to the polarization. The scaling behavior of both Z″ and M″ infers that the dynamical processes are temperature independent. Comparison of the impedance and electrical modulus data shows that the bulk response has contributions from both localized, i.e. defect relaxation, and non-localized conduction, i.e. ionic or electronic conductivity. The ac conductivity of the ceramics at higher temperatures indicates NTCR (negative temperature coefficient of resistance) behavior like semiconductors. The ac conduction activation energies are estimated from Arrhenius plots and conduction is largely due to hopping process.     

Electrical conductivity of MgCO3 at high pressures and high temperatures

The electrical conductivity of polycrystalline magnesite (MgCO₃) was measured at 3-6 GPa at high temperatures using complex impedance spectroscopy in a multi-anvil high-pressure apparatus. The electrical conductivity increased with increasing pressure. The activation enthalpy calculated in the temperature range 650-1000 K also increased with increasing pressure. The effect of pressure was interpreted as being the activation volume in the Arrhenius equation, and the fitted data gave an activation energy and volume of 1.76±0.03 eV and −3.95±0.78 cm³/mole, respectively. The negative activation volume and relatively large activation energy observed in this study suggests that the hopping of large polarons is the dominant mechanism for the electrical conductivity over the pressure and temperature range investigated.     

Dielectric behavior of sodium borate glasses

The dielectric constant and the electrical conductivity of the transparent glasses in the composition 3Na₂O-7B₂O₃ (NBO) were investigated in the 100 Hz–10 MHz frequency range at various temperatures. The activation energy associated with the electrical relaxation determined from the electric modulus spectra was found to be 0.76 ± 0.02 eV, close to that (0.74 ± 0.02 eV) obtained from DC conductivity studies. The frequency-dependent electrical conductivity was analyzed using Jonscher’s power law. Temperature-dependent behavior of the frequency exponent (n) suggested that the correlated-barrier hopping model was the most appropriate to rationalize the electrical transport phenomenon in NBO glasses.     

Relaxor-like dielectric behavior in La2NiMnO6 double perovskite ceramics

The dielectric and conductive characteristics of La₂NiMnO₆ double perovskite ceramics were investigated together with the crystal structure. La₂NiMnO₆ ceramics crystallized in the monoclinic P2₁/n structure in which the Ni²⁺ and Mn⁴⁺ ions ordered periodically. Relaxor-like dielectric behavior combined with a giant dielectric constant step was observed in the present ceramics, and these unique dielectric characteristics should be attributed to the charge ordering of Ni²⁺ and Mn⁴⁺. The dielectric relaxation was well fitted by the modified Debye equation and Arrhenius law with the activation energy of 0.17 eV. The dc conductivity of La₂NiMnO₆ could be well fitted using a variable-range hopping mechanism instead of a band conduction mechanism.     

Synthesis and dielectric characteristics of La0.5Bi0.5MnO3 ceramics

La_0.5Bi_0.5MnO₃ ceramics with a single phase were prepared by a solid-state reaction method, and their dielectric properties were characterized. Two dielectric relaxations with a giant dielectric constant were identified in the temperature range from 125 to 350 K. The electron hopping between Mn³⁺ and Mn⁴⁺ was found to be the origin of the dielectric relaxation at low temperatures (125–200 K) with an activation energy of 0.18 eV. The high temperature (200–350 K) dielectric relaxation can be attributed to the conduction.     

Study of the superionic system AgI-PbI2-Ag2O-B2O3

The superionic system AgI-PbI₂-Ag₂O-B₂O₃ with two compositions has been prepared. The pelletised samples were investigated with regard to conductivity, modulus and dielectric analysis at various temperatures and frequencies. The activation energy determined for the samples was found to be varying between 0.09 to 0.10 eV. The effect of polarization at the electrode has been analyzed from conductivity spectra. From the impedance and modulus analysis it has been found that the system is non-ideal and there exists a distribution of relaxation times which is independent of temperature.     

Structure and electrical properties of SrO-borovanadate (V2O5)0.5(SrO)0.5−y(B2O3)y glassses

SrO-borovanadate glasses with nominal composition (V₂O₅)_0.5(SrO)_0.5−y(B₂O₃)_y, 0.0≤y≤0.4 were prepared by a normal quench technique and investigated by direct current (DC) electrical conductivity, inductively coupled plasma (ICP) spectroscopy, infrared (IR) spectroscopy and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) studies in an attempt to understand the nature of mechanism governing the DC electrical conductivity and the effect of addition of B₂O₃ on the structure and electrical properties of these glasses. XRD patterns confirm the amorphous nature of the present glasses and actual compositions of the glasses were determined by ICP spectroscopy. The temperature dependence of DC electrical conductivity of these glasses has been studied in terms of different hopping models. The IR results agree with previous investigations on similar glasses and it has been concluded that similar to SrO-vanadate glasses, metavandate chain-like structures of SrV₂O₆ and individual VO₄ units also occur in SrO-borovanadate glasses. The SrV₂O₆ and VO_n polyhedra predominate in the low B₂O₃-containing SrO-borovanadate glasses as B substitutes into the V sites of the various VO_n polyhedra and only when the concentration of B₂O₃ exceeds the SrO content do BO_n structures appear. This qualitative picture of three distinct structural groupings for Sr-vanadate and Sr-borovanadate glasses is consistent with the proposed glass structure on previous IR and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) studies on these types of glasses. The conductivity results were analyzed with reference to theoretical models existing in the literature and the analysis shows that the conductivity data are consistent with Mott's nearest neighbor hopping model. Analysis of the conductivity data shows that they are consistent with Mott's nearest neighbor hopping model. However, both Mott VRH and Greaves models are suitable to explain the data. Schnakenberg's generalized polaron hopping model is also consistent with temperature dependence of activation energy. However, various model parameters such as density of states, hopping energy, etc. obtained from the best fits were not found to be in accordance with the prediction of the Mott model.     

Effects of synthesis condition and atomic group on conductivity of V2O5-doped ceria-based ceramics

The relationship between conductivity and activation energy was discussed in ceria-based ceramics. The conductivity of La-doped ceria solid solution with or without V₂O₅ additive was measured by AC impedance method and concluded that the conductivity and activation energy could be affected by a slight doping with extra atoms. The addition of V₂O₅ greatly improved the sintering characteristic of ceria solid solution and elevated about 15 % of relative density. The value of activation energy was also variable with the content of V₂O₅ addition. However, the minimum activation energy is consistent with the maximum conductivity not at random temperature. The intersection of the Arrhenius plot is moved to a lower temperature with increasing content of V₂O₅ below 0.05 mol% between the V₂O₅-doped and undoped samples. The total conductivity was lower than that of undoped sample at the low temperature but larger at a high temperature. Selecting suitable additive is considered as a useful method to prepared high-density and conductive ceramics.     

Effect of substitutions on dielectric behavior of La2NiMnO6

The substituted La₂NiMnO₆ (LNMO) double perovskite powder samples are prepared by hydroxide co-precipitation method. The electrical properties such as conductivity, dielectric constant and impedance analysis of the substituted sample, have been studied. The activation energy is determined by dc conductivity plot gives the fair idea of conduction mechanism. The dielectric and impedance analysis suggests the contribution of extrinsic and intrinsic effects in dielectric relaxation due to substitution at A and B site cations. The Nyquist plot reveals the role of grain and grain boundaries in charge conduction mechanism. The large grain and grain boundary resistance value and activation energy ～100 meV of substituted LNMO samples shows the presence of variable range hopping (VRH) conduction mechanism.     

0.5Ba(Ti0.8Zr0.2)O3-0.5(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3压电薄膜的摩擦、磨损性能

具有准同型相界组分的0.5Ba(Ti_0.8Zr_0.2)O₃-0.5(Ba_0.7Ca_0.3)TiO₃ (BZT-0.5BCT)陶瓷, 表现出优异的铁电、压电性能, 作为一种具有潜在应用前景的无铅压电材料得到广泛关注. 本文采用溶胶-凝胶方法在Si(100)基底上制备了BZT-0.5BCT压电薄膜. 使用原子力显微镜和扫描电子显微镜测量得到样品的形貌图, 形貌图表明该方法制备的无铅压电薄膜表面光滑, 晶粒大小均匀、呈半球形, 直径为80–100 nm, 厚度为1.7 μm, 膜的内部有气孔.摩擦力实验表明, 压电薄膜样品与硅针尖之间存在静电力的作用, 导致其摩擦力远大于硅针尖与SiO₂之间的摩擦力, 但是两者的摩擦系数基本相同.划痕实验表明, BZT-0.5BC薄膜具有很强的法向承载能力, 但是切向抗磨损能力差, 样品的平均弹性模量为23.64 GPa± 5 GPa, 其硬度为2.7–4 GPa, 两者均略低于压电陶瓷Pb(Zr, Ti)O₃材料的体态值. 关键词： BZT-BCT薄膜 纳米摩擦力 纳米压痕 纳米划痕     

Study of complex impedance spectroscopic properties of the KFeP2O7 compound

The KFeP₂O₇ compound was prepared by the conventional solid-state reaction. The sample was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction. The AC electrical conductivity and the dielectric relaxation properties of this compound have been investigated by means of impedance spectroscopy measurements over a wide range of frequencies and temperatures, 200 Hz–5 MHz and 553–699 K, respectively. Both impedance and modulus analysis exhibit the grain and grain boundary contribution to the electrical response of the sample. The temperature dependence of the bulk and grain boundary conductivity were found to obey the Arrhenius law with activation energies Eg?=?0.94 (3)?eV and Egb?=?0.89 (1)?eV. The grain-and-grain boundary conductivities at 573 K are 1.07?×?10^?4 and 1.16?×?10^?5 (Ω^?1 cm^?1). The scaling behavior of the imaginary part of the complex impedance suggests that the relaxation describes the same mechanism at various temperatures. The near value of the activation energies obtained from the equivalent circuit, conductivity data, and analysis of M″ confirms that the transport is through ion hopping mechanism.