Impedance spectroscopy and morphology of SrBi(4)Ti(4)O(15) ceramics prepared by soft chemical method

Abstract

In this work, we have synthesized polycrystalline SrBi(4)Ti(4)O(15) (SBiT) ceramics by soft chemical method. These ceramics were structurally characterized by analysis of X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns, indicates that SBiT ceramics present an orthorhombic structure. Scanning electron micrograph shows that the grains exhibit a plate like morphology. Dielectric relaxations of the SBiT ceramics were investigated in the temperature range 100-700 degrees C. Using the Cole-Cole model, an analysis of the dielectric loss with frequency was performed, assuming a distribution of relaxation time. The presence of the peaks in temperature dependent dielectric loss indicates that the hoping of charge carriers is responsible for the relaxation. Impedance studies shows a non-Debye type relaxation, and relaxation frequency shift to higher side with increase in temperature. A significant shift in impedance loss peaks towards higher frequency side indicates conduction in material and favoring the long range motion of mobile charge carriers. The Nyquist plot shows overlapping semicircles, for grain and grain boundary of SBiT ceramics. The frequency dependent ac conductivity at different temperatures indicates that the conduction process is thermally activated process and the spectra follow the universal power law. The hopping frequency shifts towards higher frequency side with increase of temperature, below which the conductivity is frequency independent. The variation of dc conductivity confirms that the SBiT ceramics exhibits negative temperature coefficient of resistance behavior in high temperature. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.