Microfiber growth and characterization of NaNbO 3 -KNbO 3 ceramics.

Ferroelectric ceramic materials NaxK1-xNbO3(NKN), with x = 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 are synthesized by solid state double sintering method. The synthesized materials are characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The x-ray diffraction studies indicate orthorhombic structure except for x = 0.4 (which has monoclinic structure). The SEM micro-graphs indicate a gradual change in the morphology of the samples. Growth of microfibers is observed in x = 0.5 samples. For higher compositions the microfiber morphology is changed.DSC of the samples showed phase transitions. Dielectric constant versus temperature plots indicated ferroelectric to paraelectric phase transitions. The complex impedance plots in higher temperature range are single semi-circles. The equivalent circuits contain parallel combinations of resistance and capacitance elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]