Effects of processing conditions on electrical properties of cold sintered BaTiO3

Research output: ThesisMaster's Thesis

Authors

Abstract

The necessity for advancements in ceramic sintering is indicated by the fact that traditional sintering methods require temperatures exceeding 1000°C for effective ceramic densification. Moreover, the majority of novel techniques still employ operating temperatures above 700 °C. The ongoing focus in research is on reducing the sintering temperature by attempting to achieve ultra-low sintering temperatures while maintaining superior material properties. A promising alternative has emerged in the form of the Cold Sintering Process (CSP), which enables sintering at temperatures below 300°C through the application of external pressure and a chemically active transient liquid phase. CSP offers significant economic and technological benefits, including reduced energy consumption, faster processing times and the ability to create unique composite systems. The focus of this work is to optimize the CSP to successfully produce cold sintered barium titanate (BaTiO3), a crucial material for multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) widely used in consumer electronics, electric vehicles and communication technology. By optimizing the CSP parameters, including pressure, flux content (varying contents of water and Ba(OH)2·8H2O) and heating rate, this study successfully produced dense BaTiO3 samples with a fine microstructure, achieving grain sizes of approximately 250 nm. The optical appearance of the cold sintered samples exhibited considerable variation depending on the CSP processing parameters. No evident distinction was observed in the microstructure. However, the samples were classified into three distinct optical appearance categories: blue, light blue, and white. A microstructural analysis was conducted using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Electrical characterization of the cold-sintered BaTiO3 was performed measuring the dielectric properties, resistivity and ferroelectric behavior. To enhance and stabilize the electrical properties, post-CSP annealing was conducted on the samples at 500°C, 850°C, and 1200°C. Following annealing, the classes exhibited notable differences according to their optical appearance. Annealing at only 500°C resulted in stable electrical properties, comparable to those of conventional BaTiO3 produced at higher temperatures, considering the grain size effect. Annealing at 850 °C enhanced the dielectric losses and increased the electrical resistivity. At 1200°C, a microstructure change in terms of grain growth (2 ¿m) was observed, which enhanced the electrical performance according to the size effect. This research contributes to the development of CSP as a viable alternative for the production of high-quality BaTiO3 ceramics, with the capacity to refine the sintering process to attain the desired characteristics in the final ceramic product.

Details

Translated title of the contributionAuswirkungen der Verarbeitungsbedingungen auf die elektrischen Eigenschaften von kaltgesintertem BaTiO3
Original languageEnglish
QualificationDipl.-Ing.
Awarding Institution
Supervisors/Advisors
Award date18 Oct 2024
Publication statusPublished - 2024