Journal of Advanced Physics

Vol. 3, pp. 16, 2014

(www.aspbs.com/jap)

Copyright 2014 by American Scientific Publishers

All rights reserved.
Printed in the United States of America

Dielectric and Electrical Properties of SrxBa1-xNb2O6

(0.40 X0.75) Ceramics
Shridhar. N. Mathad1
, Pragathi Jadhav2 , and Vijaya Puri3
1

Department Physics, K.L.E.I.T, Hubli 560030, India

Department Physics, Shivaji Univesrty, Kolhapur, India
3
Department Physics, Shivaji Univesrty, Kolhapur, India
2

The purpose of this paper is to describe dielectric and electrical properties of strontium barium noibates
(Srx Ba1-x Nb2 O6  ceramics were prepared by the low-cost solid state reaction technique. Composition dependent variations of complex permittivities were studied at room temperature exhibit normal dielectric behavior,
attributed to Maxwell-Wagner type interfacial polarization. Strontium barium noibates (SBN) ceramics shows
positive temperature (PTC) behavior. The themistor constant, activation energy, sensitivity index () and stability
factor (SF) of SBN are also reported. The themistor constant lies in the range of 204 K to 707 K.

1. INTRODUCTION
Monitoring and control of temperature is of overriding
importance in of our everyday life. Temperature sensors are present not solely in domestic and industrial
activities however additionally in laboratory and medical procedures. NTC thermistors find intensive use in
circuit compensation, aerospace, cryogenic, automotive
temperature measure and management applications.13 The
elements based on the materials with the positive temperature coefficient of resistivity (PTCR) found the wide
application practically in all the branches of engineering.4
PTC thermistor applications build use of the characteristics inherent in their composition. Theyre used as protection devices, heating components, temperature sensors.
typically for fabricating such elements the ceramic materials, supported the semiconductor barium titanate(BaTiO3 ,
are used.5 One of the perspective directions in using PTCR
materials is their application in surface heaters with regulation of temperature and temperature sensors in varied electronic devices and integrated circuits. The interest group
during this association raises an issue of creating thin film
structures on the basis of materials with positive temperature coefficient of electric resistance.6
In regard of environmental issues, lead free materials
are being considered for several applications and strontium barium noibates (Srx Ba1x Nb2 O6  is among the few
materials that are within the fore-front thanks to glorious

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Email:
Received: 9 November 2014
Accepted: 28 November 2014

J. Adv. Phys. 2014, Vol. 3, No. 5

2168-1996/2014/3/001/006

novel technological application properties. The present

study focuses on the study of strontium barium niobate(SBN) ceramics (0.40 x 0.75) DC electrical resistivity, thermistor constant, activation energy and dielectric
studies. For the first time the thermal resistor properties
are reported for this material. Tungsten bronze structured
strontium barium noibates were synthesized by easy solidstate reaction.7
8 This powder was pressed into pellets in
an exceedingly press at ten ton/cm2 for five minutes. These
samples were named Sr40, Sr50, Sr61 and Sr75 respectively. The DC electrical resistance for all compositions
was measured by two-probe methodology applying silver conductor paste on each side. At room temperature,
commercially available impedance analyser (SOLATRON
1260A) in the frequency region twenty hz to 1 megacycle
was used for complex permittivity studies.

2. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS AND

DISCUSSIONS
2.1. Dielectric Studies of SBN
The frequency dependent permittivity for all the bulk samples was studied at room temperature. Figure 1 shows
the variation of dielectric constant with frequency from
20 Hz to 1 MHz (using Impedance Analyzer (SOLATRON
1260A)). The variation of dielectric loss tangent (tan)
with frequency is shown in Figure 3. The loss tangent
decreases with increase in frequency and attains a constant value at higher frequencies. The decrease in permittivity with frequency can be explained on the basis of
Koops theory. The features of the plot corresponding to
are compared with a curve obtained for condenser model
doi:10.1166/jap.2014.1167

ARTICLE

KEYWORDS: Strontium Barium Noibates (SBN), Electrical Properties, PTC, Activation Energy, Thermistor Constant.

Dielectric and Electrical Properties of Srx Ba1x Nb2 O6 (0.40 X0.75) Ceramics

of the parallel plates designed for the interfacial polarization where a rapid fall with frequencies in the mid frequency region, a long tail in the high frequency region. In
general, the decreases in permittivities are rapid at lower
frequencies and slower at higher frequencies. This is a
normal behavior of dielectrics because at lower frequencies different types of polarizations (i.e., dipole, atomic,
ionic, electronic, interfacial) are present in the compound.
A monotonic decrease in permittivity with increase in
frequency is known as relaxation dispersion typical for
dipole and migrational or interfacial polarization. Ionic
and electronic polarization experiences resonance dispersion, where the permittivity first grows, then decreases,
traverses the minimum and reaches a constant value at
very high frequencies,9 as observed in other ferroelectric systems.1013 The low frequency dispersion in SBN
is observed due to space charge effect and slowly all
polarization vanishes at higher frequency except electronic
polarization. When the frequency increases, the number of mechanisms involved in the dynamic polarization
decreases. At very high frequencies, only the electronic
contribution of the polarization remains.14
15 The dielectric
structure is assumed to be consisting of well-conducting

grains which are separated by poorly conducting grain

boundaries. The grain boundaries are more effective for
conductivity and permittivity than grains at lower frequencies. i.e., relaxation mechanism was explained in terms
of a hopping process of space charge migration bound
inside the ferroelectric grains, while the other was associated with interface charges at the grain boundary layers.
Therefore permittivity () is high at lower frequencies
and decreases as frequency increases. Since it is observed
that in dielectrics the permittivity () is directly proportional to the square root of conductivity (.16 Hence the
permittivity () high at lower frequencies and decreases
as frequency increases, decrease in permittivity is due to
jumping frequency of electrics charge carriers can not follow the alternation of the applied ac field beyond a certain
critical frequency.
High frequency studies in SBN ceramics the effect of
the hopping of off-centred ferroelectric ions has also been
recommended by several authors.18 The tetragonal tungsten bronze phase (SBN) ceramics exhibits high frequency
relaxation in the paraelectric phase and its origin was
ascribed to the crystalline network owing to the motion
of active ferroelectric niobate (Nb+5  ions. At lower frequency, the dielectric constant of Sr40, Sr61, and Sr75
samples shows more prominent values than that of Sr50.
It is observed that dielectric constant of these ceramics
decreases from 431 103 to 163 103 for Sr40 and Sr50
at 20 Hz respectively. Disorder usually may takes place
in in A1 and A2 sites. i.e., its origin is probably related
to the relaxor behavior of this material resulting from the
cationic disorder of Sr+2 and Ba+2 in A1 and A2 sites. In
tungsten bronze type relaxor ferroelectrics, the complexity
of the structure makes interpretations more difficult. The
relaxation phenomenon depends on the strontium content.
The dispersion action is much pronounced in strontiumrich compositions.1921
Thus the grain boundaries are more effective at low
frequencies while the grains are more effective at higher
frequencies. It is found that dielectric constant ()

Fig. 2. Variation of dielectric loss (tan) with frequency of bulk SBN

ceramic.

Fig. 3. Variation AC conductivity with frequency of bulk SBN ceramic.

Fig. 1. Variation of dielectric constant with frequency of bulk SBN

ceramic.

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Mathad et al.

J. Adv. Phys., 3, 16, 2014

Mathad et al.

Dielectric and Electrical Properties of Srx Ba1x Nb2 O6 (0.40 X0.75) Ceramics

decreases on increase in frequency which indicates a normal behavior of the dielectric materials. However these
SBN ceramics have moderate dielectric constants, which
might be applicable in dynamic random access memory (DRAM), microwave telecommunications, multilayer
capacitors applications and MICs.22
2.2. AC Conductivity Studies of SBN
To understand the conduction mechanism and the type of
polarons responsible for conduction, the variation of AC
conductivity carried out at room temperature as a function of frequency is represented Figure 3. The ac conductivity (ac  was calculated from dielectric data using the
relation,23
ac = 0 
(1)

Fig. 4. Variation of log and reciprocal of absolute temperature

(1000/T) for the bulk SBN.
J. Adv. Phys., 3, 16, 2014

2.3. Electrical Properties of SBN

The electrical properties of ceramics are quantitatively
considered as sum properties of their individual electrical and ionic behavior is obtained. The graph of log
and reciprocal of the absolute temperature (1000/T) for the
bulk ceramic is shown in Figure 4. The resistivity increases
with increase in temperature, i.e., PTC (positive temperature coefficient) behavior is obtained. The resistivity at
300  C and 900  C, thermistor constant (B30/90 , sensitivity
index, activation energy and stability factor are tabulated
in Table II. The thermistor constant B30/90 was calculated
by the relation,27
B30/30 =

ln
R30 /R90 

1/T30 
1/T90 

(2)

Where R30 and R90 are resistivity measured at 30  C

and 90  C respectively.
It is also observed that as strontium concentration
increases resistivity of bulk. It is observed that, the room
temperature resistivity of Sr 40 is 37 107  cm, Sr50
is 59 107  cm, Sr61 is 44 107  cm and Sr75
is 44 107  cm for bulk, the room temperature resistivity, and it increases as strontium concentration increases
above 350 K for bulk. Resistivity is actually the result of
the combined factors such as grain size, crystal structure,
imperfections and microstructure homogeneity.
The properties of the PTC result that shows up increase
in resistance of a ferroelectric material with temperature,
once it passes from the ferroelectric phase into paraelectric
phase. The PTC result underlines the operational principle
of thermally sensitive resistors. This is often in contrast to
semiconductor primarily based thermistors during which
resistance diminishes with increase in temperature. The
PTC region lies among the temperature interval of crystal
lattice transcription throughout phase transition and thus
the ferroelectric with a diffused phase transition shows
a smooth increase in resistivity over the whole temperature interval wherever the diffused phase transition takes
place.10
The conduction in ferroelectric can be explained in
terms of polaron hopping process.28 There are experimental evidences for the existence of polarons and its hopping
3

ARTICLE

The conductivity is calculated from dielectric constant

and dielectric loss data. The electrical conductivity is
due to migration of ions and this ionic transport strongly
depends on the angular frequency (. Thus it has been
shown that the ac conductivity is directly proportional to
angular frequency. The treatment of conduction by polaron
is discussed by Austin and Mott.21 In large polaron hopping the ac conductivity decreases with frequency and in
small polaron hopping conductivity increases with angular
frequency. From the graph it is seen that the ac conductivity increases with increase in frequency for all the samples.
It has been observed that, conductivity of Sr40 is quite
large at lower frequencies and Sr61 sample shows lowest
conductivity compared to other samples for all frequency
range.
The electron hopping mechanisms between two adjacent
sites are promoted by active conductive grains attributable
to increase within the applied frequency. due to hopping
of charge carriers between localized states the linear variation of ac conductivity is ascertained. On the premise
of theoretical models it will understood as indicating that
the ac conductivity originates from a migration of ions
by hopping between neighboring potential wells In ionic

solids, the electrical conduction is attributable to migration of ions and this ionic transport depends on the angular frequency.22
24 At higher frequencies the frequency
of the hopping ions couldnt follow the applied field
frequency and it lags behind. so conductivity decreases
at higher frequencies. Thus, ac conductivity is proportional to angular frequency confirming linear nature, that
eventually provides rise to dc conductivity at the lowest frequencies.25 All the plots are linear confirming that
the conductivity altogether SBN samples is attributable to
small polaron hopping. In few circumstances the conductivity slightly decreases, attributing to the conductivity by
mixed polarons.26

ARTICLE

Dielectric and Electrical Properties of Srx Ba1x Nb2 O6 (0.40 X0.75) Ceramics

process.29
30 The most popular barrier model for the PTC

effect in ceramics has been proposed by Heywang,31 who
proposed that this phenomenon is caused by the Schottky
barrier at the grain boundaries in polycrystalline structures.
To explain the PTCR effect, he proposed a model based
on the presence of two-dimensional resistive grain boundary layers consisting of discrete electron traps located in
energy between the conduction and valence bands. It is
based on a description of grain boundaries as insulating
barrier layers separating two semi-conducting grains. The
whole dc resistivity jump at the phase transition temperature of the grains is then fully explained by a change in
the barrier height because of the structural transition in
the grains. The theory for PTCR has not been established
completely.
In PTCR ceramics, the grain boundaries are the natural lattice breaking places where charge depletion occurs.
The resistance of a PTC thermistor increases with temperature, but only over a limited temperature range near a
phase transition. The resistance change is very large at this
temperature because of grain boundary effects. Explanation of the PTC effect rests upon understanding the defect
structure. The grain boundary region changes during cooling. Oxygen is adsorbed on the surface of the ceramic and
diffuses to grain boundary sites, altering the defect structure along the grain boundaries. The added oxygen ions
attract electrons from nearby Nb5+ ions, thereby creating an insulating barrier between grains. Large currents
cause the temperature of the thermistor to rise into the
PTC range, thereby raising the resistance and lowering the
current.32
In PTC effect it is necessary to consider the ferroelectric phase transition in SBN and its effect on the insulating barriers between grains. Below Curie temperature the
perovskite structure distorts, due to which a large spontaneous polarization (Ps) develops at the grain boundaries.
Near room temperature the resistance of PTC thermistors is low because the electron charge trapped in grain
boundary regions is partially neutralized by spontaneous
polarization. Wherever the domain structure is advantageously positioned, positive polarization charge will cancel the negatively charged barriers between conductive
grains, thereby establishing low resistance paths across the
ceramic. When sintered at high temperature, SBN may be
expected to become an n-type semiconductor through the
following reaction
4+
3+ 2
Srx Ba1x Nb2 O6 Srx2+ Ba3+
1x Nb1x Nbx O6

Furthermore, when the cation to anion ratio in these

oxides departs from the ideal value, the oxygen vacancies
in sintered ceramics, on thermal excitation, can provide
the trapped electrons to give rise to n-type conductivity in
a oxygen deficient ferroelectric. Similarly, P -type conductivity has also been observed.33 To reduce the P -type conduction, we can use donor dopants, such as Nb 5+ or La3+ ,
4

Mathad et al.

(a)

(b)

(c)

Fig. 5. Composition dependent thermistor constant (B), activation

energy (Ea ), sensitivity index () and stability factor (SF) of bulk SBN
ceramics.

replacing divalent (Ba2+ , Pb2+ etc.) in order to provide

electrons required to convert O ions to O2 , thus reducing
the conductivity.33 It is important to reduce the conductivity because high conductivity makes it difficult to apply
a high field for poling for a long period of time. In this
case, these additives will enhance domain reorientation and
hence increase spontaneous polarization, dielectric constant. The oxygen in the porous ceramics is adsorbed at
the grain boundaries during sintering in air, thus increasing
J. Adv. Phys., 3, 16, 2014

Mathad et al.

Dielectric and Electrical Properties of Srx Ba1x Nb2 O6 (0.40 X0.75) Ceramics

Table I. Composition dependent thermistor constant (B), activation

energy (Ea ), sensitivity index () and stability factor (SF) of bulk SBN
Resistivity Resistivity Thermistor Activation Sensitivity Stability
energy
index
factor
Sample at 30  C at 90  C constant
(Mcm) (Mcm)
B(K)
(eV)
()
(SF)
Sr40
Sr50
Sr61
Sr75

3740
5906
4488
4488

4675
6608
5343
6600

40944
20409
31992
70764

0.068
0.059
0.037
0.065

0.005
0.002
0.004
0.008

0.097
0.048
0.076
0.167

the electrical potential barrier height, which results from

an increase of surface states density. An increased resistivity is attributed to an increase in the electrical barrier
height of grain boundaries, porosity and the grain boundary area.34
The activation energies calculated by using Arrhenius
relation, E = 2303 K slope of log versus 1000/T (K1 
curve are tabulated in Table II. The sensitivity index (,
activation energy (E) and stability factor (SF) were calculated using the following formula.34



T2

SF = log

Rmax
Rmin

(3)

It is well known that the electron and hole hopping

between Sr2+ /Sr3+ , Ba2+ /Ba3+ and Nb3+ /Nb4+ ions, with
activation energy value is responsible for electrical conduction. The material behaves like a semiconductor, but
electron mobility is also changed at the Curie temperature.
As a result resistivity increases with increase in temperature. The resistivity (30  C and 90  C), thermistor constant,
sensitivity index, stability factor, and activation energy for
SBN are summarized in Table I and shown in Figure 5.
It occurs only in polycrystalline ceramics. The thermistor constant lies in the range of 204K to 707K. The
conduction electrons are scattered by the surface of the
material to alter the path of the electrons. The most significant scattering mechanisms are scattering from grain
boundaries, scattering from rough surfaces, and scattering due to impurities. However, what is clear about these
scattering mechanisms is that processing techniques and
impurity concentration will have a larger effect on the
bulk resistivity and that grain boundary size and rough
surface scattering are more prominent for smaller film
thicknesses.35 This SBN thermistors PTC properties may
be used as a temperature sensor, constant temperature
heater (PTC heater), honeycomb air heater (hair dryer),
auto fuel evaporator, current limiter, circuit timer, sensor
for motor protection motor start assist and high temperature material due to its PTC behavior.36

3. CONCULSION AND FUTUREWORK

In SBN ferroelectrics, the substitution of strontium produces appreciable changes within the dielectric and electrical properties. The PTCR-ceramics was prepared by the
J. Adv. Phys., 3, 16, 2014

Acknowledgment: The author Vijaya. Puri gratefully

acknowledges UGC, India for the Award of Research Scientist C. Shridhar. N. Mathad is very much thankful to
the management and Principal of K.L.E. Institute of Technology, Hubli.

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=

traditional ceramic technology. The variation of complex

permittivity properties with frequency show dielectric dispersion. For the first time the thermistor properties are
reported for this material. The thermistor constant lies
within the range of 204 K to 707 K. These tunable vary
of sensitive lead free ferroelectrics (SBN) could also be
promising material in industrial application level for high
temperature PTC kind thermistor applications.

Dielectric and Electrical Properties of Srx Ba1x Nb2 O6 (0.40 X0.75) Ceramics

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J. Adv. Phys., 3, 16, 2014