Relaxor ferroelectric behavior of “A” site deficient Bismuth doped Barium Titanate ceramic

A site deficient Bi doped BaTiO₃ ceramic with general formula Ba_1-xBi_2x/3TiO₃ (x?=?0.00, 0.01, 0.025) is prepared by solid state reaction route. The phase formation and structural property of all compositions are studied by X-Ray Diffraction pattern. The pattern reports single phase tetragonal crystal system with space group of P4mm. The XRD study also reveals that bismuth (Bi) replaces ??A?? site (Ba) of the BaTiO₃ pervoskite. The surface morphology of the sintered pellets is studied by scanning electron microscopy which shows a decrease in grain size with an increase in Bi concentration. The temperature and frequency dependent dielectric behaviors of the compositions are studied to show the effect of Bi ion on the ??A?? (Ba) site of BaTiO₃ perovskite. The dielectric constant decreases and transition temperature increases with increase in Bi concentration. Substitution of Bi ion induces diffuse ferroelectric behavior and the degree of diffuseness increases with increase in doping concentration. The ferroelectric behavior is also confirmed by the P-E loop study.     

Synthesis of nanosized (1 − x)BiScO3 − xPbTiO3 ferroelectric ceramic powders

Nanosized (1???x)BiScO₃???xPbTiO₃ ferroelectric ceramic powders was obtained by the metal citrate sol–gel method. The decomposition process of the polymer was studied by using infrared spectral absorption and X-ray diffraction. Perovskite phase can be obtained at the calcining temperature as low as 450 °C and the average grain sizes of powders were calculated by XRD method. The influence of the grain size by pH value of the solution is explained. The calcining temperature is proved to be the foremost factor to determine the grain size which grew from 12 to 23 nm when calcined at different temperatures. The holding time can also affect the grain size. The sintering temperature can be reduced by 100 °C using nano powders than using traditionally prepared large grain powders.     

Anisotropic piezoelectric properties of 1–3 ceramic / polymer composites comprising rods with elliptic cross section

This paper is concerned with the study of effective piezoelectric properties of 1–3 ferroelectric ceramic / polymer composites. The aim of this paper is to show the role of a combination of the electromechanical properties of components and microgeometry of the 1–3 composite in determining its anisotropic piezoelectric response. The system of ceramic rods in the form of elliptic cylinders is an important microgeometric factor that influences the piezoelectric coefficients and their anisotropy. Examples of the piezoelectric response and anisotropy are analysed for the 1–3 composites based on either “soft” or “hard” ceramic and having either piezo-active or piezo-passive matrix. Combinations of the ceramic and polymer components are found that provide different volume-fraction dependences of the piezoelectric coefficients d_3j^* d_{3j}^{*} and g_3j^* g_{3j}^{*} : both monotonic, both non-monotonic, monotonic d_3j^* d_{3j}^{*} and non-monotonic g_3j^* g_{3j}^{*} , and vice versa. Examples of volume-fraction dependences of electromechanical coupling factors k_3j^* k_{3j}^{*} are also considered. A comparison of the effective piezoelectric coefficients calculated by the effective field method and the finite element method is carried out for different compositions in wide ranges of the ratio of semiaxes of the ellipse and of volume fractions of the components. Good agreement between data calculated by means of the aforementioned methods is obtained for the 1–3 structure comprising the elliptic cylinders.     

Dielectric measurements on a novel Ba1 − x Ca x TiO3 (BCT) bulk ceramic combinatorial library

High-throughput combinatorial methods have the potential to discover new materials. They can investigate the effects of a wide range of dopants on the dielectric properties to optimize existing systems, encouraging the short innovation cycles that industry requires. We are currently part of a consortium of London Universities exploring methods of producing and measuring combinatorial libraries of microwave dielectric ceramics. The London University Search Instrument (LUSI) is a fully automated, high-throughput combinatorial robot that has the potential capability to produce combinatorial libraries consisting of large numbers of sintered bulk ceramic samples with varying composition, on alumna substrates. We have reported the manufacture and characterisation of Ba _x Sr_1???x TiO₃ libraries (x in steps of 0.1) as a proof of concept to demonstrate that the robot works and to confirm a compositional and functional change throughout the libraries, as well as proving that reliable measurements can be made on such small samples. Libraries of Ba_1???x Ca _x TiO₃ samples were made with varying compositions of x?=?0–1 in steps of 0.1, and fired to 1400 °C for 1 h, by LUSI. X-ray diffraction (XRD) data agreed with the few previous reports on this little-studied system, namely that after initially forming a solid solution with Ca addition, above x?=?0.2 a two phase system forms with values of 0.2?<?x?<?0.9, after which a single phase system again appears with values of x?=?0.9 and higher. Dielectric measurements (100 Hz–1 MHz) showed a previously reported unusual initial increase in the Curie point with substitution up to x?=?0.2, followed by a rapid decrease to below 125 K when x?>?0.4. This initial increase has been attributed to the Ca substituting in both the Ba²⁺ A sites and the Ti⁴⁺ B sites of the perovskite up to x?=?0.2, after which T _c decreases greatly as the two phase system forms. Scanning probe microscopy and piezo response force microscopy (PFM) experiments also showed evidence of an increase in piezoelectricity with small amounts of x (0.1–0.2), followed by a decrease with increasing x.     

Synthesis,and measurement of structural and magnetic properties,of La<Subscript>1−x</Subscript>Cd<Subscript>x</Subscript>CoO<Subscript>3</Subscript> perovskite ceramic oxides

Perovskite-type Cd-doped LaCoO₃ materials were synthesized by a simple solution-based combustion process. The synthesized materials were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), diffuse reflectance (DR) in the UV-VIS, and magnetic property measurements. The parent LaCoO₃ compound showed spin-glass transition at low temperatures, and with progressive Cd doping, showed transition to paramagnetic ordering. The changes in magnetic properties of the materials are correlated to the changes in structural features resulting from the Rietveld structural refinement of the materials.