Structural and electrical properties of KCa2Nb5O15 ceramics

A polycrystalline sample of KCa2Nb5O15 with tungsten bronze structure was prepared by a mixed oxide method at high temperature. A preliminary structural analysis of the compound showed an orthorhombic crystal structure at room temperature. Surface morphology of the compound shows a uniform grain distribution throughout the surface of the sample. Studies of temperature variation on dielectric response at various frequencies show that the compound has a transition temperature well above the room temperature (i.e., 105 degrees C), which was confirmed by the polarization measurement. Electrical properties of the material have been studied using a complex impedance spectroscopy (CIS) technique in a wide temperature (31-500 degrees C) and frequency (10(2) -10(6) Hz) range that showed only bulk contribution and non-Debye type relaxation processes in the material. The activation energy of the compound (calculated from both the loss and modulus spectrum) is same, and hence the relaxation process may be attributed to the same type of charge carriers. A possible 'hopping' mechanism for electrical transport processes in the system is evident from the modulus analysis. A plot of dc conductivity (bulk) with temperature variation demonstrates that the compound exhibits Arrhenius type of electrical conductivity.