Key Engineering Materials Vols. 434-435

Abstract: ZnNb2O6 ceramics with a columbite crystal structure, is a promising candidate for application in microwave devices. In this study, ZnNb2O6 nano-powders were prepared using Nb2O5 and Zn(NO3)2 as raw materials by Pechini method. The microstructure and crystal structure of ZnNb2O6 powders were investigated systematically using X-ray powder diffraction and SEM techniques. The effect of amount of citric and ethylene on the formation of sol-gel and the particle size of ZnNb2O6 powders were also investigated using orthogonal design. Finally, the optimum process parameters for synthesis ZnNb2O6 nano-powders were obtained in this study.

Abstract: The influence of CuO-V2O5-Bi2O3 addition on the sintering behavior, phase composition, microstructure and microwave dielectric properties of Zn3Nb2O8 ceramics were investigated. The co- doping of CuO, V2O5 and Bi2O3 can significantly lower the sintering temperature of Zn3Nb2O8 ceramics from 1150°C to 900°C. The Zn3Nb2O8-0.5wt% CuO-0.5wt% V2O5-2.0wt% Bi2O3 ceramic sintered at 900°C showed a relative density of 97.1%, a dielectric constant (εr) of 18.2, and a quality factor (Q×f) of 36781 GHz. The dielectric properties in this system exhibited a significant dependence on the relative density, content of additives and sintering temperature. The relative density and dielectric constant (εr) of Zn3Nb2O8 ceramics increased with increasing CuO-V2O5-Bi2O3 additions. And also the relative density and dielectric constant of Zn3Nb2O8 ceramics increased by the augment of the sintering temperature.

Abstract: This paper describes microstructure and leakage current characteristics of ZrTiO4 thin films on ITO/Glass substrate were deposited by sol-gel method with a fix per-heating temperature of 250oC for 30min at various annealing temperatures from 600oC to 800oC for 1 hr. The annealed films were characterized using X-ray diffraction. The surface morphologies of annealed film were examined by atomic force microscopy. The dependence of the microstructure and leakage current characteristics on annealing temperature was also investigated.

Abstract: SiO2-SiC composite particles were prepared using a sol-gel process. BaTiO3 powders were synthesize through solid-state reaction. They were mixed as microwave absorbents with Fe3O4 powders to obtain the complex absorption. Epoxide resin (EP) was used as matrix and solidified with the mixtures. The techniques of DSC-TG, XRD were used to characterize the composite particles and the obtained compacts. A vector network analyzer was used to measure the reflectivity of the SiO2-SiC-based composites. The effects of the aborbents’ contents on the reflection of the microwave absorption materials were disscussed. It was found that SiO2-SiC composites could be prepared using sol-gel process and BaTiO3 powders could be synthesize through solid-state reaction. The results indicated that SiO2-SiC composite is contribute to absorb microwave, where SiO2-SiC: BaTiO3: Fe3O4 = 6:2:2 (vol %), the frequency region in which the maximum reflectivity is more than -10 dB is 5.4-7.6 GHz.

Abstract: The microwave properties and microstructures of (ZnMg)TiO3-based dielectric prepared by conventional solid-state method were investigated as functions of CaTiO3 and CaO-B2O3-SiO2 additions. The effects of CaTiO3 on the crystal phase and the evolution of microstructure of (Zn0.65Mg0.35)TiO3 were studied. The result indicated that CaTiO3 secondary phase coexists with (ZnMg)TiO3 main phase in the ZMT-CT ceramics, which confirmed by EDS analysis. Because of CaTiO3 with large τf value (τf = 800 ppm/°C), the temperature coefficient of resonant frequency (τf) of ZMT-CT with biphasic structure was adjusted to near zero value. The microwave properties of (Zn0.65Mg0.35)TiO3 ceramics doped with 5wt% CaTiO3 sintered at 1150°C were ε ≈ 24, τf ≈ ±10 ppm/°C, Q×f > 45,000 GHz. Further, it was found that the CaO-B2O3-SiO2 additive could successfully reduce the sintering temperature of (Zn0.65Mg0.35)TiO3–CaTiO3 ceramics from 1150 to 950°C, and significantly improve the densification of this system, which were densified below 1000°C. This was due to the formation of liquid phases during the sintering observed by SEM. The (Zn0.65Mg0.35)TiO3–0.05CaTiO3 dielectrics with 1 wt% CaO-B2O3-SiO2 sintered at 950~1000°C exhibited the optimum microwave properties: ε ≈ 22, Q×f ≈ 20,000 GHz and τf ≈ ±10 ppm/°C.

Abstract: M-type hexaferrites Ba(TiMn)xFe12-2xO19 (x=0 to 2) powders were synthesized by molten salt method. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope and vibrating sample magnetometer were used to analyze the structures and electromagnetic properties. The results showed that, the magnetoplumbite structures for all samples were formed. Magnetic hysteresis loop measurements of the Ba(TiMn)xFe12-2xO19, exhibitted that the saturation magnetization (Ms), the remanent magnetization (Mr) and the coercitivity (Hc) of compounds depended strongly on the chemical composition of materials. The maxium values of Ms (52.68emu/g) and Mr (32.89emu/g) of the compounds were found at x=0.5; however, the values of Hc and the areas of magnetic hysteresis loop of compounds decreased with increasing the value of x. The Ba(TiMn)1.5Fe9O19/paraffin wax composites containing 40vol% of doped barium ferrite exhibitted good absorption performances in the frequency range of 2–14 GHz.

Abstract: A new type of porous ceramics, Mg2SiO4, for microwave application with low permittivity and high quality factors were prepared via gel-casting processing in this paper. Microstructure of the ceramics was observed and crystal structure of the samples was also identified. Moreover, emphasis was paid on the characterization of the microwave ceramics. Dielectric properties of the ceramics were measured by an automatic system of microwave measurement, resulting in dielectric constant of 3.51 and quality factor of 11,774 for the ceramic sample at frequency about 10GHz. Mechanical performance of the samples were also evaluated with maximal bending strength of 140MPa.

Abstract: Barium titanate (BTO) inverse opal photonic crystals were fabricated by a process of self-assembly of polystyrene opal template in combination with electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of nanoparticles from BTO suspension. In this process, stable monodispersed suspension of BTO nanoparticles was prepared by dispersing BTO gel into a mixed solvent of 2-methoxyethanol and acethylacetone. Then the BTO nanoparticles were infilled into the interstices of the opal template formed by monodisperse polystyrene microspheres by electrophoretic deposition, and then polystyrene template was removed by calcining the specimen at a final temperature of 500oC. SEM images show that the inverse opals possess face-centered cubic (fcc) structure with center to center distant of the air spheres 310 nm. A photonic bandgap in the visible range is observed from reflection spectra of the sample. Such BTO inverse opals as photonic crystals should be useful in device applications.

Abstract: CaCu3Ti4O12 ceramics were prepared by the traditional solid-state reaction method and the dielectric properties were investigated, the activation energy and relaxation time factor of the samples were calculated. Debye relaxation theory was attempted to analyze the experimental datum, the static and high-frequency dielectric constants were obtained according to Cole-Cole spectra. The temperature dependence of the dielectric constant of CaCu3Ti4O12 were fitted by computer and the theoretical results nearly agree with experimental results.

Abstract: The single-phased BaTi2O5 (BT2) powders were synthesized by a sol-gel method by using barium acetate and tetrabutyl titanate as starting materials and ZrO2 as stabilizing agent. A samll amout of ZrO2 is effective to prepare BT2 in a single phase and the second phase of BaTiO3 (BT) and Ba6Ti17O40 (B6T17) increases with increasing ZrO2 content. BT2 starts to form at about 700 oC and BT2 in a single phase is obtained at 800 to 1250 oC in air at 0.5 mol% ZrO2. The synthesized grains at 900 oC are nearly spherical in shape and whose sizes are 0.2-0.5 m.