Structural, compositional and electrical properties of co-precipitated zinc stannate

Zinc stannate (Zn2SnO4) powders were synthesized by chemical co-precipitation method using stannic chloride pentahydrate (SnCl4 center dot 5H(2)O) and zinc acetate (Zn(CH3COO)(3)center dot 4H(2)O) as precursors in aqueous medium. The influence of sintering temperatures on the structural, compositional, dielectric, electrical and impedance properties has been studied. X-ray diffraction study reveals that samples sintered at 400-1200 degrees C show combined phases viz. ZnO, SnO2, Zn2SnO4. The observed binding energies of Sn 3d(5/2), Zn 2p(3/2) and O 1s reveal that Sn and Zn are present in oxidized state (Sn-O-Zn). We studied interparticle interactions like grains, grain boundary effects using complex impedance spectroscopy. (C) 2011 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.