Electrical Studies on Bi4NdTi3Fe0.7Co0.3O15-Bi3NdTi2Fe0.7Co0.3O12-δ Intergrowth Aurivillius Ceramics

A promising Aurivillius layered pervoskite ceramics, namely, the title compound has drawn interest in recent days owing to its figure of merit (magnetoelectric coupled properties). General formula of the compound is expressed as (Bi2O2)(2+)(A(n-1)B(n)O(3n+ 1))(2-), whereArepresents Bi/Nd andBrepresents Ti/Fe/Co. However, no reports are available on impedance measurement of this compound. In the present study, four-layered (Bi4NdTi3Fe0. 7Co0.3O15) and three-layered (Bi3NdTi2Fe0. 7Co0. 3O12-8) compounds were synthesized by solid state reaction method and an intergrowth ceramics of three-layered and four-layered compound (title compound) was prepared. XRD pattern confirmed the intergrowth compound as single phase eight-layered compound. Dielectric data of the compounds were recorded as function of temperature at various frequencies. The intergrowth sample showed high dielectric and remnant polarization (P-r) values. From the combined impedance spectroscopic and AC conductivity (sigma(ac)) plots, the respond function was found to be frequency dependent, indicating the conduction process to be thermally activated. In the present study, an attempt was made to understand the inheriting dielectric relaxations, and the results were corroborated to the master (scaling) plots.