Impedance spectroscopy and investigation of conduction mechanism in BaMnO3 nanorods

BaMnO3 nanorods were synthesized at 200 degrees C and atmospheric pressure using the composite-hydroxide mediated method. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were used to investigate the structure, size, morphology, phase purity and elemental composition of BaMnO3 nanorods. Electrical characterization of BaMnO3 pellet was performed at 300-400 K and in the frequency range 200 Hz-2 MHz. Temperature dependence of AC conductivity suggests that the BaMnO3 pellet behaves as a semiconducting material and conduction across the pellet can be explained by the correlated barrier hopping model. Impedance analysis was performed using the equivalent circuit model (R(1)Q(1)C(1))(R2C2) and it suggests a single relaxation process in the BaMnO3 pellet at a particular temperature. The analysis reveals that the BaMnO3 pellet behaves like an n-type semiconductor material due to the presence of oxygen vacancies and some disorder. Modulus spectroscopy also supports the impedance results. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.