SYNTHESIS AND DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES OF FOUR-LAYERED AURIVILLIUS SrBi4Ti4O15 DOPED Nd3+ AND Mn4+

Abstract

<p>Synthesis of four-layered Aurivillius compound doped with Nd<sup>3+</sup> and Mn<sup>4+ </sup>cations, SrBi<sub>3.5</sub>Nd<sub>0.5</sub>Ti<sub>4-x</sub>Mn<sub>x</sub>O<sub>15</sub> (<em>x</em> = 0; 0.5; 1) was carried out using molten salt method with a mixture of Na<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>/K<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub> as a flux. The synthesized products were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and refined by <em>Le Bail</em> technique. The results of XRD analysis show that the four-layered Aurivillius compound formed, however there are additional peaks identified as perovskite and Bi<sub>7.68</sub>Ti<sub>0.32</sub>O<sub>12.16</sub> phases for <em>x</em> = 0 and perovskite and Sr<sub>4</sub>Ti<sub>3</sub>O<sub>10</sub>phases for <em>x</em> = 0.5 and 1. The results of refinement show that four-layered Aurivillius phase formed has orthorhombic symmetry with <em>A2<sub>1</sub>am</em> space group. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) shows the plate like morphology that are characteristic of Aurivillius compound. Dielectric constant of the samples show increasing value as increasing of Mn<sup>4+</sup> concentration.</p>