Effect of particle size and ZnO addition on microwave dielectric properties of nanocrystalline (Zr0.8Sn0.2) TiO4 ceramics

• Published in: Advances in applied ceramics 2007-08, Vol.106 (4), p.202-208
• Main Authors: Pamu, D., Rao, G. Lakshmi Narayana, Raju, K.C. James
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: MICROWAVE DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES; NANOCRYSTALLINE; ZST
• ISSN: 1743-6753; 1743-6761
• DOI: 10.1179/174367607X178157

Polycrystalline samples of (Zr 0.8 Sn 0.2 )TiO 4 have been synthesised by solid state reaction method. The effects of ball milling and the addition of ZnO (1-2.5 wt-%) on the microwave dielectric properties of (Zr 0.8 Sn 0.2 )TiO 4 ceramics are investigated. As the ball milling time increases, the density of the (Zr 0.8 Sn 0.2 )TiO 4 ceramics increases. The influence of ZnO as a sintering aid on the sintering temperature of (Zr 0.8 Sn 0.2 )TiO 4 is also studied. As the weight percentage of ZnO increases, the density increases up to 1.5 wt-% of ZnO and thereafter it starts decreasing. The dielectric constant εγ r and the product of quality factor Q and resonant frequency f o of TE 01 ° mode (Qxf o ) followed the same trend with increasing density, irrespective of whether the density increased with ball milling time or by addition of ZnO. The value of Qxf o is found to increase with increasing grain size. The microwave dielectric constant and the Qxf o values were respectively ranged from 32 to 39.3 and from 32 000 to 49 600 at 10.5 GHz for (Zr 0.8 Sn 0.2 )TiO 4 ceramics. Furthermore, the influence of the processing parameters on the microwave dielectric properties of (Zr 0.8 Sn 0.2 )TiO 4 is discussed.