Effects of dysprosium oxide addition in bismuth sodium titanate ceramics

Abstract

This research focuses on the preparation and characterization of dysprosium-doped bismuth sodium titanate (BNT) ceramics. The compounds were prepared using the conventional mixed-oxide method. The amount of dysprosium oxide used was varied from 0 to 2 at.%. The mixed powders were calcined at 800 °C and checked for phase purity using X-ray diffraction technique. The powders were then cold-pressed into small pellets which were subsequently sintered at 1050 °C for 2 h. The results from density measurement and SEM micrographs showed that highly dense and high-purity ceramics were obtained. The grain size of Dy-doped samples was found to decrease with increasing Dy content. Compared to pure BNT, the addition of Dy₂O₃ in BNT ceramics slightly increased the dielectric constant values near room temperature. In addition, the Dy doping resulted in a more diffused transition temperature, less frequency dependence of the dielectric constant and very low values of the dielectric loss.