Study of dielectric and piezoelectric properties of neodymium doped Ba_(0.85-x)Nd_xCa_0.15Zr_0.1Ti_0.9O₃ ceramics

ABSTRACT

Ba_(0.85-x)Nd_xCa_0.15Zr_0.1Ti_0.9O₃ (x = 0, 0.005, 0.010, 0.015, 0.020, 0.025) ceramic compositions were synthesized by solid state reaction method. Effects of Nd³⁺ on the microstructure, dielectric, and piezoelectric properties of the ceramics were studied. X-ray diffraction study reveals that Nd³⁺ ions diffuse into Ba_(0.85-x)Nd_xCa_0.15Zr_0.1Ti_0.9O₃ lattice to form a solid solution of single perovskite structure having tetragonal symmetry. It was found that cell volume, crystallite size, tetragonality, d₃₃ and P_r change with increasing Nd³⁺ content. d₃₃ was optimized at 270pC/N for x = 0.015. The study reveals that optimum doping of Nd³⁺ in Ba_(0.85-x)Nd_xCa_0.15Zr_0.1Ti_0.9O₃ can enhance its dielectric and piezoelectric properties.

KEYWORDS:

• Perovskite
• crystallite
• dielectric
• sintering
• piezoelectric