Crystalline Na3Bi2P3O12, K3Bi2P3O12 and glassy K3Bi2P3O12 compounds were prepared by solid-state reaction. The prepared samples were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. The crystalline materials were found to be orthorhombic. Electrical conductivity measurements of the crystalline and glassy samples showed that, at about 373K, the σDC for crystalline K3Bi2P3O12 (0.81 x 10−8S/cm) was about 2 orders of magnitude higher than the corresponding glassy phase (1.25 x 10−10S/cm). The scaling results showed that the conductivity relaxation mechanism was independent of temperature.

Synthesis, Characterization and Electrical Conductivity Studies of A3Bi2P3O12 (A = Na, K) Materials. C.R.Mariappan, G.Govindaraj, L.Ramya, S.Hariharan: Materials Research Bulletin, 2005, 40[4], 610-8