PROJECT REPORT

ON
PREPARATION AND ANALYSIS OF BaPr1.33Ti3O9 & BaPr2Ti4O12
MICROWAVE DIELECTRIC CERAMICS

A Project report submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of

Bachelor of technology

In

Electronics and communication engineering

Under the guidance of: Submitted By:

Er. Shalini Bahel Amit Mahajan(74544)
Dr. S. Bindra Narang

Dept. of Electronics & Communication Engineering

Guru Nanak Dev University
Amritsar

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 CERTIFICATE FROM GUIDE

This is to certify that the project titled “PREPARATION AND ANALYSIS OF

BaPr1.33Ti3O9& BaPr2Ti4O12 MICROWAVE DIELECTRIC CERAMICS” has been carried
out by Amit Mahajan under my supervision in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the
Degree of Bachelor of Technology in Electronics & Communication Engineering of the Guru
Nanak Dev University, Amritsar during the academic year 2009- 2010.

_______________________

(Er. Shalini Bahel)

COUNTERSIGNED

_______________________________

Dr. M.L Singh

Head of the Department,
Electronics & Communication Engineering

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The completion of any project brings with it a sense of satisfaction, but it is never
complete without thanking those people who made it possible and whose constant support has
crowned our efforts with success. One cannot even imagine the power of the force that guides us
all and neither can we succeed without acknowledging it. My deepest gratitude to Almighty God
for holding my hands and guiding me throughout my life.

I am thankful to my esteemed faculty member Prof. Sukhleen Bindra Narang for her
expert guidance, encouragement and valuable suggestions. I would like to express my gratitude
to Er. Shalini bahel, my guide, for her lectures on dielectric ceramics which constantly inspired
me towards the attainment of everlasting knowledge throughout the course. I am thankful to the
Head of Department Dr. M.L.Singh, without his incredible support and steady involvement; the
project would not have been fruitful. I would also like to thank research scholar Ms. Dalbir Kaur
for explaining me various concepts of microwave dielectric ceramics. I am grateful to the Thapar
University and PU, Chandigarh for providing me the facility to carry out the experimental work.
I would like to thank all the staff members of ECE dept. for providing me with the required
facilities and support towards the completion of the project. I am extremely happy to
acknowledge and express my sincere gratitude to my parents for their constant support and
encouragement and last but not the least, friends and well wishers for their help and cooperation
and solutions to problems during the course of the project.

Amit Mahajan

ABSTRACT

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 In the field of microwave dielectric ceramics, BaO-R2O3-TiO2 (R=La, Nd, Sm, Pr) is the
most valuable material system, which is used for microwave components such as multi-layer
ceramic chip capacitor (MLCC), single-layer ceramic chip capacitor (SLC), dielectric resonator
& filter, voltage control oscillator (VCO) and antenna, etc. Also microwave dielectric ceramics
has received much attention due to rapid growth of the wireless communication industry. In this
project we are concerned with the development of microwave resonator materials. The three vital
properties required for these materials are:

1) A high dielectric constant for miniaturization.

2) A high quality factor (which is inverse of loss tangent, tanδ) for better frequency stability.
3) A good temperature stability or near zero temperature coefficient of resonant frequency.

Dielectric ceramics materials in ternary system BaO-R2O3-TiO2 (R=Rare

earth, La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd) has gained importance due to their high dielectric
constants, high quality factor and near zero temperature coefficient of
resonant frequency. The ceramics system with general formulas
BaPr1.33Ti3O9 & BaPr2Ti4O12 has been synthesized by mixed oxide method
using reagent grade powders BaCo3, Pr6O11 and TiO2. The samples have been
calcinated at 1100°C for 2 hrs in silica crucibles in a linear programmable furnace in order to bring
about a thermal decomposition, phase transition and removal of a volatile fraction.

Microwave dielectric properties can be adjusted widely by ionic or

structural modification. The effect of such substitution on microstructures
and microwave dielectric properties at room temperature has been
investigated. Various analytical tools are used for the study of structural and
dielectric properties. The most common analytical tool for structural studies is crystal
diffraction using x-rays that undergo wave interface with the regular arrangements of atoms in a
crystalline lattice. This technique is x-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and can be used to give both
qualitative and quantitative data for the crystal structure. It is expected that substitution of Pr in
ceramics would result in promising material with high dielectric constant and low loss.

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 CONTENTS

ABSTRACT Page No.

CHAPTER 1 Introduction
1.1 Microwave dielectric ceramics 8
Ceramics
1.1.1 Origin of ceramics
1.1.2 Examples of ceramics
1.2 Properties of ceramics 9
1.2.1Mechanical properties
1.2.2 Refractory behavior
1.2.3 Electrical behavior
1.2.3.1 Electrical insulation and dielectric behavior
1.2.3.2 Ferroelectric, piezoelectric and pyroelectric

1.2.4 Semi conductivity

1.2.5 Superconductivity
1.3 Processing of ceramic material 11
1.3.1 In situ manufacturing
1.3.2 Sintering based method
1.4 Other applications of ceramics 12
1.5 Aim of the project 14
1.6 Project report layout 14

CHAPTER 2 Dielectric Properties

2.1 Dielectric constant 15
2.1.1 Definition
2.1.2Generalizations
2.2 Capacitance 17
2.2.1 Definition
2.2.2 Charge Stored
2.2.3 Energy Stored
2.2.4 Capacitive Reactance Xc
2.2.5 Time Constant
2.2.6 Uses of Capacitors
2.3 Loss Tangent ( tanδ) and Q factor 19
2.3.1 Definition
2.3.2 Electromagnetic Field perspective
2.3.3 Loss tangent component
2.3.4 Q factor
2.4 Polarization of Dielectrics 22
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 2.4.1 Definition
2.4.2Effect of Dielectrics
2.5 Dielectric A.C Conductivity 23
2.5.1 Definition
2.6 Temperature Coefficient of Resonance frequency 24
2.6.1 Definition

CHAPTER 3 Preparation and Analysis

3.1 Weighing 25
3.1.1 Definition
3.1.2 Techniques of Weighing
3.1.2.1 Spring Scale
3.1.2.2 Analytical Balance
3.2 Ball Milling 26
3.2.1 Definition
3.3 Calcination 27
3.3.1 Definition
3.3.2 Examples of Calcination process
3.3.3 Calcination Reactions
3.4 Post Mixing 29
3.4.1 Definition
3.5 Granulation and Sieving 29
3.5.1 Definition of Granulation
3.5.2 Definition of Sieving
3.6 Compaction 30
3.6.1 Definition
3.7 Sintering and Polishing 31
3.7.1 Definition
3.8 X-ray powder diffraction 31

3.8.1 Definition
3.9 Apparatus required for X-ray powder diffraction 33
3.9.1 Diffractometer

CHAPTER 4 RESULT AND DISCUSSION

4.1 X-Ray Diffraction 35

4.2 Density Measurement 36

4.3 Dielectric Properties 37

4.3.1 Dielectric Constant

4.3.2 Loss Tangent

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 4.3.3 AC Conductivity

CHAPTER 5 Conclusions 43

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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 CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Microwave dielectric ceramics:

Temperature-stable, medium-permittivity dielectric ceramics have been used as resonators in

filters for microwave (MW) communications for several years. The growth of the mobile phone
market in the 1990s led to extensive research and development in this area. The main driving
forces were the greater utilization of available bandwidth, that necessitates extremely low
dielectric loss (high-quality factor), an increase in permittivity so that smaller components could
be fabricated, and, as ever in the commercial world, cost reduction. Over the last decade, a clear
picture has emerged of the principal factors that influence MW properties. Proper selection of
ceramics materials is necessary in order to achieve suitable dielectric properties. Dielectric
ceramics can be selected from a wide range of materials. These materials include titanates,
nitrates, tantalates, niobates, silicates, etc. such as – Alumina, Aluminium nitride, Barium
Titanates (BaTiO3), Barium Strontium Titanates, and Lithium Niobates.

The Barium Titanates (BaTiO3) is used extensively in ceramics because of its high
dielectric constant compared with other ceramics. It is rarely used without modification, because
difficulty in controlling grain size during sintering. BaTiO3 is slightly doped with rare earth
oxides (up to a concentration of around 0.3-0.5%) and is used for the preparation of switching
and regulating devices. Ceramics in the vicinity of BaO: R2O3:4TiO2 are used in microwave
resonators. It will be beneficial to explain ceramics at this point.

1.2 CERAMICS:
1.2.1 Origin of ceramics
The word ceramic is derived from Greek, and strictly refers to clay in all its forms.
However, modern usage of the term broadens the meaning to mean inorganic non-metallic
materials. Until 1950s or so, the most important of these was the traditional clays, made into
pottery, bricks, tiles and similar, along with cements and glass. The traditional crafts are
described in the article on pottery. The classic ceramic materials are hard, porous and brittle. The
study of ceramics consists to a large extent of methods to mitigate the problems, and accentuate
the strengths of the materials, as well as to offer up unusual uses for these materials.
1.2.2 Examples of Ceramic Materials
• Silicon nitride (Si3N4), which is used as an abrasive powder.
• Boron carbide (B4C), which is used in some helicopter and tank armor.
• Silicon carbide (SiC), which is used as a succeptor in microwave furnaces, a commonly
used abrasive, and as a refractory material.
• Magnesium diboride (MgB2), which is an Unconventional superconductor.
• Zinc oxide (ZnO), which is a semiconductor, and used in the construction of transistors.

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 • Ferrite (Fe3O4), which is ferromagnetic and is used in the core of electrical transformers
and magnetic core memory.
• Steatite is used as an electrical insulator.
• Bricks (mostly aluminum silicates), used for construction.
• Uranium oxide (UO2), used as fuel in nuclear reactors.
• Yttrium barium copper oxide (YBa2Cu3O7-x),a high temperature superconductor

1.3 Properties of Ceramics

1.3.1Mechanical properties :
Ceramic materials are usually ionic or glassy materials. Both of these almost always
fracture before any plastic deformation takes place, which results in poor toughness in these
materials. Additionally, because these materials tend to be pours, the pores and other
microscopic imperfections act as stress concentrators, decreasing the toughness yet further, and
reducing the tensile strength. These combine to give catastrophic failures, as opposed to the
normally much more gentle failure modes of metals.
It is not true to say that these materials do not show plastic deformation. However, due to
the rigid structure of the crystalline materials, there are very few available slip systems for
dislocations to move, and so they deform very slowly. With the non-crystalline (glassy)
materials, viscous flow is the dominant source of plastic deformation, and is also very slow. It is
therefore neglected in many applications of ceramic materials. These materials have great
strength under compression, and are capable of operating at elevated temperatures. Their high
hardness makes them widely used as abrasives, and as cutting tips in tools.
1.3.2 Refractory behavior:
Some ceramic materials can withstand extremely high temperatures without losing their
strength. These are called refractory materials. They generally have low thermal conductivities,
and thus are used as thermal insulators. For example, the belly of the Space Shuttles are made of
ceramic tiles which protect the spacecraft from the high temperatures caused during reentry. The
most salient properties required for a good refractory material is that it not soften or melt, and
that it remains unreactive at the desired temperature. This latter point covers both self
decomposition, and reacting with other compounds in its vicinity - either of which would be
detrimental.
Porosity takes on additional relevance with refractories. As the porosity is reduced, the
strength, load bearing ability and environmental resistance decreases as the material gets denser.
However as the density increases the resistance to thermal shock (cracking as a result of rapid
temperature change) and insulation characteristics are reduced. Many materials are used in a very
porous state, and it is not uncommon to find two materials used - a porous layer, with very good
insulating properties, with a thin coat of a more dense material to provide strength. It is perhaps
surprising to find that these materials can be used at temperatures where part of them is a liquid.
For example, silica firebricks used to line steel making furnaces is used at temperatures up to
1650°C (3000°F), where some of the brick will be liquid. Designing for such a situation
unsurprisingly requires a substantial degree of control over all aspects of construction and use.

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1.3.3 Electrical behavior:
One of the largest areas of progress with ceramics was their application to electrical
situations, where they can display a bewildering array of different properties.
1.3.3.1 Electrical insulation and dielectric behavior:
The majority of ceramic materials has no mobile charge carriers, and thus do not conduct
electricity. When combined with strength, this leads to uses in power generation and
transmission. Power lines are often supported from the pylons by porcelain discs, which are
sufficiently insulating to cope with lightning strikes, and have the mechanical strength to hold
the cables. A sub category of their insulating behavior is that of the dielectrics. A good dielectric
will maintain the electric field across it, without inducting power loss. This is very important in
the construction of capacitors. Ceramic dielectrics are used in two main areas. The first is the
low-loss high frequency dielectrics, used in applications like microwave and radio transmitters.
The other is the materials with high dielectric constants (the ferroelectrics). Whilst the ceramic
dielectrics tend not to outmatch other options for most purpose, they fill these two niches very
well.
1.3.3.2 Ferroelectric, piezoelectric and pyroelectric:
A ferroelectric material is one the can spontaneously generate a polarization, in the
absence of an electric field. These materials exhibit a permanent electric field, and this is the
source of their extremely high dielectric constants.
A piezoelectric material is one where an electric field can be changed or generated by
applying a stress to the material. These find a range of uses, principally as transducers - to
convert a motion into an electric signal, or vice versa. These appear in devices such as
microphones, ultrasound generators, strain gauges and many more.
A pyroelectric material develops an electrical field when heated. Some ceramic
pyroelectrics are so sensitive they can detect the temperature change caused by a person entering
a room (approximately 40 micro Kelvin). Unfortunately, such devices lack accuracy, so they
tend to be used in matched pairs - one covered, the other not, and only the difference between the
two used.
1.3.4 Semi conductivity:
There are a number of ceramics that are semiconductors. Most of these are transition
metal oxides that are II-VI semiconductors, such as zinc oxide. Whilst there is talk of making
blue LEDs from zinc oxide, ceramicists are most interested in the electrical properties that show
grain boundary effects. One of the most widely used of these is the transistor. These are devices
that exhibit the unusual property of negative resistance. Once the voltage across the device
reaches a certain threshold, there is a breakdown of the electrical structure in the vicinity of the
grain boundaries, which results in its electrical resistance dropping from several mega-ohms
down to a few hundred. The major advantage of these is that they can dissipate a lot of energy,
and they self reset - after the voltage across the device drops below the threshold, its resistance
returns to being high.
This makes them ideal for surge protection applications. As there is control over the
threshold voltage and energy tolerance, they find themselves in all sorts of applications. The best
demonstration of their ability can be found in electricity sub stations, where they are employed to
protect the infrastructure from lightning strikes. They have rapid response, are low maintenance,
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and do not appreciable degrade from use, making them virtually ideal devices for this
application. The semiconducting ceramics can also be found employed as gas sensors. When
various gases are passed over a polycrystalline ceramic, its electrical resistance changes. With
tuning to the possible gas mixtures, very inexpensive devices can be produced.
1.3.5 Superconductivity:
Under some conditions, such as extremely low temperature, some ceramics exhibit
superconductivity. The exact reason for this is not known, but there are two major families of
superconducting ceramics. The complex copper oxides are exemplified by Yttrium barium
copper oxide, often abbreviated to YBCO, or 123 (after the ratio of metals in its stiochiometric
formula YBa2Cu3O7-x). It is particularly well known because it is quite easy to make, does not
require any particularly dangerous materials to do so, and has a superconducting transition
temperature of 90K (which is above the temperature of liquid nitrogen (77K)). The x in the
formula refers to the fact that fully stiochiometric YBCO is not a superconductor, so it must be
slightly oxygen deficient, with x typically around 0.3.
The other major family of superconducting ceramics is magnesium diboride. It is
currently in a family all of its own, and its behavior is not particularly remarkable, other than its
very different from all other superconductors (not being either a complex copper oxide, nor a
metal), and thus it is hoped that studying it will reveal more information about why
superconductivity exists, which will feed into high temperature superconductivity research.
1.4 Processing of Ceramic Materials :
Non-crystalline ceramics, being glasses, tend to be formed from melts. The glass is
shaped when either fully molten, by casting, or when in a toffee like viscosity, by methods such
as blowing to a mould.
Crystalline ceramic materials are not amenable to a great range of processing. Methods
for dealing with them tend to fall into one of two categories - either make the ceramic in the
desired shape, by reaction in situ, or by forming powders into the desired shape, and then
sintering to form a solid body. A few methods use a hybrid between the two approaches.
1.4.1 In situ manufacturing:
The most common use of this type method is in the production of cement and concrete.
Here, the dehydrated powders are mixed with water. This starts hydration reactions, which result
in long, interlocking crystals forming around the aggregates. Over time, these result in a solid
ceramic.
The biggest problem with this method is that most reactions are so fast that good mixing
is not possible, which tends to prevent large scale construction. However, small scale systems
can be made by deposition techniques, where the various materials are introduced above a
substrate, and react and form the ceramic on the substrate. This borrows techniques from the
semiconductor industry, such as chemical vapor deposition, and it very useful for coatings. These
tend to produce very dense ceramics, but do so slowly.
1.4.2 Sintering based methods:
The principles of sintering based methods are simple. Once a roughly held together object
is made (called a "green body"), it is baked in a kiln, where diffusion processes cause the green
body to shrink, and close up the pores in it, resulting in a denser, stronger product. The firing is

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done at a temperature below the melting point of the ceramic. There is virtually always some
porosity left, but the real win of this method is that the green body can be produced in any way
imaginable, and still be sintered. This makes it a very versatile route.
There are thousands of possible refinements that can be added to this process. Some of
the most common are pressing the green body, to give the densification a head start, and reduce
the sintering time needed. Sometimes organic binders are added, to hold the green body together,
which burn out during the firing. When pressing, something organic lubricants are added, to get
maximum density from pressing. It's not uncommon to combine these, and add binders and
lubricants to a powder, then press. Rather than a powder, a slurry can be used, and then cast into
a desired shape, dried and then sintered. Indeed, the traditional pottery is done with this type of
method, using a plastic mixture worked with the hands. If a mixture of different materials is used
together in a ceramic, it sometimes is that the sintering temperature is above the melting point of
one minor component - a liquid phase sintering. This results in faster sintering times over solid
state sintering.
1.5 Applications of ceramics :
• Ceramics are used in the manufacture of knives. The blade of a ceramic knife will stay
sharp for much longer than that of a steel knife, although it is more brittle and can be
snapped by dropping it on a hard surface.
• Ceramics such as alumina and boron carbide have been used in ballistic armored vests to
repel large-caliber rifle fire. Such plates are known commonly as small-arms protective
inserts (SAPI). Similar material is used to protect cockpits of some military airplanes,
because of the low weight of the material.
• Ceramic balls can be used to replace steel in ball bearings. Their higher hardness means
that they are much less susceptible to wear and can offer more than triple lifetimes. They
also deform less under load meaning they have less contact with the bearing retainer
walls and can roll faster. In very high speed applications, heat from friction during rolling
can cause problems for metal bearings; problems which are reduced by the use of
ceramics. Ceramics are also more chemically resistant and can be used in wet
environments where steel bearings would rust. The major drawback to using ceramics is a
significantly higher cost. In many cases their electrically insulating properties may also
be valuable in bearings.
• In the early 1980s, Toyota researched production of an adiabatic ceramic engine which
can run at a temperature of over 6000°F (3300°C). Ceramic engines do not require a
cooling system and hence allow a major weight reduction and therefore greater fuel
efficiency. Fuel efficiency of the engine is also higher at high temperature, as shown by
Carnot's theorem. In a conventional metallic engine, much of the energy released from
the fuel must be dissipated as waste heat in order to prevent a meltdown of the metallic
parts. Despite all of these desirable properties, such engines are not in production because
the manufacturing of ceramic parts in the requisite precision and durability is difficult.
Imperfection in the ceramic leads to cracks, which can lead to potentially dangerous
equipment failure. Such engines are possible in laboratory settings, but mass-production
is not feasible with current technology.
• Work is being done in developing ceramic parts for gas turbine engines. Currently, even
blades made of advanced metal alloys used in the engines' hot section require cooling and
careful limiting of operating temperatures. Turbine engines made with ceramics could

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 operate more efficiently, giving aircraft greater range and payload for a set amount of
fuel.
• Recently, there have been advances in ceramics which include bio-ceramics, such as
dental implants and synthetic bones. Hydroxyapatite, the natural mineral component of
bone, has been made synthetically from a number of biological and chemical sources and
can be formed into ceramic materials. Orthopedic implants made from these materials
bond readily to bone and other tissues in the body without rejection or inflammatory
reactions. Because of this, they are of great interest for gene delivery and tissue
engineering scaffolds. Most hydroxyapatite ceramics are very porous and lack
mechanical strength and are used to coat metal orthopedic devices to aid in forming a
bond to bone or as bone fillers. They are also used as fillers for orthopedic plastic screws
to aid in reducing the inflammation and increase absorption of these plastic materials.
Work is being done to make strong, fully dense nano crystalline hydroxyapatite ceramic
materials for orthopedic weight bearing devices, replacing foreign metal and plastic
orthopedic materials with a synthetic, but naturally occurring, bone mineral. Ultimately
these ceramic materials may be used as bone replacements or with the incorporation of
protein collagens, synthetic bones.

• High-tech ceramic is used in watch making for producing watch cases. The material is
valued by watchmakers for its light weight, scratch-resistance, durability and smooth
touch. IWC is one of the brands that initiated the use of ceramic in watch making. The
case of the IWC 2007 Top Gun edition of the Pilot's Watch Double chronograph is
crafted in high-tech black ceramic.
1.6 Aim of the project:
The aim of the present project work is:
1. To process (BaPr1.33Ti3O9) & (BaPr2Ti4O12 ) microwave dielectric ceramics.
2. To analyze the structural and dielectric properties of the prepared microwave
dielectric ceramics.

1.7 Project report layout:

The project report is divided into following five chapters:

Chapter 1: It presents an introduction to the microwave dielectric ceramics.

Chapter 2: This is about the dielectric properties such as capacitance, dielectric

constant loss tangent, temperature coefficient of the resonant frequency, polarization and ac
conductivity.

Chapter 3: Processing of ceramic samples using conventional mixed oxide is

presented in this chapter.

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 Chapter 4: This chapter deals with structural and Dielectric characterization of
synthesized samples.

Chapter 5: It gives the conclusions derived from various measurements carried out on
synthesized samples.

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 CHAPTER 2
DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES
2.1 Dielectric constant

2.1.1 Definition

The Dielectric constant (or relative permittivity) is an intrinsic property of dielectric material.
Under given conditions is a measure of the extent to which it concentrates electrostatic lines of
flux. It is the ratio of the amount of stored electrical energy when a potential is applied, relative
to the permittivity of a vacuum. The relative static permittivity is the same as the relative
permittivity evaluated for a frequency of zero. The relative permittivity describes the ease by
which a dielectric medium may be polarized. The capacitance of a capacitor is proportional to εr.

The dielectric constant (relative static permittivity) is represented as εr or sometimes κ or K. It is

defined as

εr= ε/ε0

Where ε is the static permittivity of the material, and ε 0 is the electric permittivity of the free
space(which is equal to 8.854*10-12 F/m)

The relative permittivity is complex and frequency dependent, which gives the static relative
permittivity for ω = 0.

Propagation of waves in dielectric materials

When two electric charges are placed inside a dielectric, the electrostatic force between the
charges is changed by a factor 1/εr. Empirically it is observed that the force between two charges
never increases (the force stays the same or decreases) by the presence of any dielectric medium,
hence the relative permittivity εr ≥ 1. Only the vacuum has εr = 1 (exact). All dielectrics have

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values larger than one (but some materials, such as non-dense inert gases, have relative
permittivity very close to the vacuum value of unity).

Other terms for dielectric constant are relative static permittivity, or relative dielectric constant,
or static dielectric constant.

If σ is the charge density on the plate (charge per surface, in SI units C/m 2), the strength E of the
field E is given by

E = σ/ (2 ε0εr),

Where ε0 is the electric permittivity of free space. When the charge density σ is positive the
electric field (a vector) E points away from the plate. Of course, plates of infinite size do not
exist, but this formula is applicable when the height is much smaller than the dimensions of the
plate, so that border effects can be neglected.

In parallel-plate capacitors border effects can usually be ignored and because both plates have
the same charge density (but of opposite sign), the electric field inside a capacitor, filled with a
dielectric with εSr, is double that of one plate

E = σ/ (ε0εr).

If the plates have surface area A, they carry a total charge Q = σ A (positive on one plate,
negative on the other),

Q = ε0εr A E.

The distance between the plates is d,

then the voltage difference V between the plates is (E / d).

The capacitance C of a capacitor is by definition (Q / V), so that we find that the capacitance of a
parallel-plate capacitor is linear in the relative permittivity εr:

C = εr C0 with C0 ≡ (ε0 A) / d.

Clearly, C0 is the capacity with vacuum between the plates, and one may define

εr is equal to the ratio of the capacitance of a capacitor filled with the dielectric to the capacitance
of an identical capacitor in a vacuum without the dielectric material.

Because εr > 1, the insertion of a dielectric between the plates of a parallel-plate capacitor always
increases its capacitance, or ability to store opposite charges on each plate.

The relative permittivity is defined as a macroscopic property of dielectrics.

The static relative permittivity of a medium is related to its static electric susceptibility, χe by

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 εr = 1+ χe

The relative static permittivity, εr, can be measured for static electric fields as follows: first the
capacitance of a test capacitor, C0, is measured with vacuum between its plates. Then, using the
same capacitor and distance between its plates the capacitance Cx with a dielectric between the
plates is measured. The relative dielectric constant can be then calculated as

εr = Cx / C0

For time-variant electromagnetic fields, this quantity becomes frequency dependent and in
general is called relative permittivity.

2.1.2 Generalizations

The relative permittivity of a dielectric is a function of temperature and, when the dielectric is a
gas. For low-symmetry dielectrics (solids and liquid crystals) it may happen that the constant is a
second rank tensor, which is represented with respect to a Cartesian coordinate system by a 3 × 3
matrix.

For frequency-dependent (time-dependent) electric fields the relative permittivity is in general a

function of the angular frequency ω.

Electric field above infinite plate

An infinitesimal surface element in cylinder coordinates times the surface charge density σ gives
an infinitesimal charge in the plate,

dQ= σrdrdΨ

where σ is assumed constant over the plate and for convenience sake we take it positive (hence
the field points in the positive z direction).

2.2 CAPACITANCE
2.2.1 Definition

In electromagnetism and electronics, capacitance is the ability of a body to hold an electrical

charge. Capacitance is directly proportional to the surface area of the conductor plates and
inversely proportional to the separation distance between the plates.

C= (Aε/d)

Where ε= ε0 εr

ε0 is the permittivity of free space where ε0 = 8.854x d-12 F/m

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d is the separation between the plates, measured in metres.

Capacitance between two plates

2.2.2 Charge Stored

The amount of charge (symbol Q) stored by a capacitor is given by:

Charge, Q = C × V

Where Q = charge in coulombs (C)

C = capacitance in farads (F)

V = voltage in volts (V)

2.2.3 Energy stored

The energy (measured in joules) stored in a capacitor is equal to the work done in moving dq
from one plate to the other against the potential difference V = q/C requires the work dW.

When they store charge, capacitors are also storing energy:

Energy, E = ½QV = ½CV²

where E = energy in joules (J).

Note that capacitors return their stored energy to the circuit. They do not 'use up' electrical
energy by converting it to heat as a resistor does.

2.2.4 Capacitive Reactance Xc

Capacitive reactance (symbol Xc) is a measure of a capacitor's opposition to AC (alternating

current).

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 Capacitive reactance, Xc = 1 / (2fC)

Where Xc = reactance in ohms ()

f = frequency in hertz (Hz)

C = capacitance in farads (F)

The reactance Xc is large at low frequencies and small at high frequencies. For steady DC which
is zero frequency, Xc is infinite (total opposition), hence the rule that capacitors pass AC but
block DC.

2.2.5 Time constant

Time constant = R × C

where Time constant is in seconds (s)

R = resistance in ohms (Ώ)

C = capacitance in farads (F)

The time constant is the time taken for the charging (or discharging) current (I) to fall to 1/e of
its initial value (Io). 'e' is the base of natural logarithms, an important number in mathematics e
= 2.71828

2.2.6 Uses of Capacitors

Capacitors are used for several purposes:

Timing -for example with a 555 timer IC controlling the charging and discharging.

Smoothing -for example in a power supply.

2.3 Loss tangent (tanδ) and Q-factor

2.3.1 Definition

The loss tangent is a parameter of dielectric material that quantifies its inherent dissipation of
electromagnetic energy. The term refers to the angle in a complex plane between the resistive
(lossy) component of an electromagnetic field and its reactive (lossless) component.

2.3.2 Electromagnetic Field Perspective

For time varying electromagnetic fields, the electromagnetic energy is typically viewed as waves
propagating either through free space, in a transmission line, or through a waveguide. Dielectrics
are often used to mechanically support electrical conductors and keep them at a fixed separation.

Page 19
Maxwell’s equations are solved for the electric and magnetic field components of the
propagating waves that satisfy the boundary conditions of the specific environment's geometry.
In such electromagnetic analyses, the parameters permittivity ε, permeability μ, and conductivity
σ represent the properties of the media through which the waves propagate. The permittivity can
have real and imaginary components such that

ε = ε' − jε'' .

The component ε′ represents the familiar lossless permittivity, is s measure of how much energy
from an external electric field is stored in material, which is given by the product of the free
space permittivity and the relative permittivity,

ε′ = ε0 εr.

ε′ is mostly greater than 1 for solids and liquids.

where ε″ is the imaginary amplitude of permittivity attributed to bound charge and dipole
relaxation phenomena, which is a measure of how dissipative or lossy a material is to an external
field. ε″ is usually greater than 1, bt less than ε′.

2.3.3 Loss tangent component

The loss tangent is then defined as the ratio (or angle in a complex plane) of the lossy reaction to
the electric field E in the curl equation to the lossless reaction:

tanδ= (ω ε''+σ)/ ω ε'

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 For dielectrics with small loss, this angle is << 1 and tan(δ)~δ. For electromagnetic wave, the
power decays with propagation distance z as

P = Poe − δkz ,

where Po is the initial power,

k= ω (µ ε') ½ = (2π/λ)

ω is the angular frequency of the wave, and

λ is the wavelength in the dielectric.

Also, a similar analysis could be applied to the permeability where

μ = μ' − jμ'' ,

with the subsequent definition of a magnetic loss tangent

tanδ = (μ''/ μ')

where C is the lossless capacitance.

2.3.4 Q-factor

A capacitor's loss tangent is sometimes stated as its dissipation factor, or the reciprocal of its
quality factor Q, as follows

tanδ = DF= 1/Q

DF= Dissipation factor

Graph representing losses and Q-factor

Dielectrics should be selected in such a way that the DF of dielectrics be low or Q be high in
order to reduce the losses.

Page 21
2.4 Polarization of Dielectrics
2.4.1 Definition

If a material contains polar molecules, they will generally be in random orientations when no
electric field is applied. An applied electric field will polarize the material by orienting the dipole
moments of polar molecules. This decreases the effective electric field between the plates and
will increase the capacitance of the parallel plate structure. The dielectric must be a good electric
insulator so as to minimize any DC leakage current through a capacitor.

The amount of charge stored in a capacitor is the product of the voltage and the capacity. The
voltage can be increased, but electric breakdown will occur if the electric field inside the
capacitor becomes too large. The capacity can be increased by expanding the electrode areas and
by reducing the gap between the electrodes One method for increasing capacity is to insert
dielectric material (an insulating material with no free charges) between the plates that reduces
the voltage because of its effect on the electric field.

When the molecules of a dielectric are placed in the electric field, their negatively charged
electrons separate slightly from their positively charged cores because of forces in opposite
direction. With this separation, referred to as polarization, the molecules acquire an electric
dipole moment. A cluster of charges with an electric dipole moment is often called an electric
dipole.

Polarization
The electric dipole moment p of two charges +q and −q separated by a distance d is a vector of
magnitude p = qd with a direction from the negative to the positive charge. An electric dipole in
an external electric field is subjected to a torque τ = pE sin θ, where θ is the angle between p and
E. The torque tends to align the dipole moment p in the direction of E. The potential energy of
the dipole is given by Ue = −pE cos θ, or in vector notation Ue = −p · E.

Page 22
The electric susceptibility χe relates the polarization to the electric field as P = χ eE. In general, χe
varies slightly depending on the strength of the electric field. The dielectric constant κ of a
substance is related to its susceptibility as κ = 1 + χe /ε0; it is a dimensionless quantity.

2.4.2 Effects of dielectrics

The presence of a dielectric affects many electric quantities. A dielectric reduces by a factor K
the value of the electric field and consequently also the value of the electric potential from a
charge within the medium. The insertion of a dielectric between the electrodes of a capacitor
with a given charge reduces the potential difference between the electrodes and thus increases
the capacitance of the capacitor by the factor K. For a parallel-plate capacitor filled with a
dielectric, the capacity becomes C = Κε0A/d. A third and important effect of a dielectric is to
reduce the speed of electromagnetic waves in a medium by the factor √K .

Effect of polarization
2.5 DIELECTRIC A.C CONDUCTIVITY
2.5.1 Definition

Dielectric conductivity sums all the dissipative effects and represents actual conductivity caused
by migrating the charge carriers. For good dielectric materials, the conductivity should be very
low, because basically dielectrics act as insulators and insulators should not allow the passage of
electricity or current through them. The dielectric conductivity (σ) can be calculated using the
following relation:

σ = ε0ωtanδ = ε''ε0ω

where, ε0 (8.854*10-12 F/m) is the permittivity of free space and ω (=2πf) is the angular
frequency. This is the frequency at which the prepared dielectric materials vibrate and allow only
such frequencies to pass through them, blocking the others.

2.6 TEMPERATURE COEFFICIENT OF RESONANCE FREQUENCY

2.6.1 Definition

Page 23
The temperature coefficient of resonance frequency (τf) represents the variation of resonance
frequency with change in temperature (in ppm/C). Generally all the dielectric materials used in
communication field work at particular frequency i.e. they block all the frequencies except the
selected frequency and showing an infinite attenuation at other frequencies. But with slightly
change in temperature, the desired resonance frequency of dielectrics changes producing losses
at the desired frequency and interfering with other frequencies. So while selecting the dielectric
materials, it is taken into consideration that the temperature coefficient of resonant frequency
should be very-very small for the selected material.

Page 24
 CHAPTER 3
PREPARATION AND ANALYSIS
3.1 WEIGHING
3.1.1 Definition

A weighing scale is a measuring instrument for measuring the weight or mass of an

object.

There are two techniques used for measurements:

• Spring scale Measurement
• Analytical Measurement

3.1.2 Techniques of weighing

3.1.2.1 Spring scale

A spring scale measures weight by the distance a spring deflects under its load. A balance
compares the unknown weight to a standard weight using a horizontal lever. This process uses a
spring with a known spring constant (see Hooke's law) and measure the displacement of the
spring by any variety of mechanisms to produce an estimate of the gravitational force applied by
the object. Weighing scales are used in many industrial and commercial applications, and
products from feathers to loaded tractor-trailers are sold by weight. Specialized medical scales
and bathroom scales are used to measure the body weight of human beings. Spring scales
measure weight, the local force of gravity on an object, and are usually calibrated in units of
force such as Newton or pounds-force

3.1.2.2 Analytical balance

An analytical balance is an instrument that's used to measure mass to a very high degree
of precision. The weighing pan(s) of a high precision (.01 mg or better) analytical balance are
inside a transparent enclosure with doors so dust does not collect and so any air currents in the
room do not affect the delicate balance. The use of a vented balance safety enclosure that has
uniquely designed acrylic airfoils allows a smooth turbulence-free airflow that prevents balance
fluctuation and the weighing of mass down to 1μg without fluctuations or loss of product. Also,
the sample must be at room temperature to prevent natural convection from forming air currents
inside the enclosure, affecting the weighing.

Analytical precision is achieved by maintaining a constant load on the balance beam, by

subtracting mass on the same side of the beam that the sample is added. The final balance is
achieved by using a small spring force rather than subtracting fixed weights.

Page 25
 Electronic Weighing Machine (Analytical Balance)
Generally the high purity materials are weighed in appropriate molar proportion using an
Electronic Weighing machine called Analytical Balance with an accuracy of 10-4. The regent
grade oxide powders are BaCO3, TiO2, Pr6O11, which are used as raw materials for ceramics
processing.

3.2 BALL MILLING

3.2.1 Definition

Ball Milling is a process in which grinding of raw materials takes place in a liquid agent
(e.g. distilled water, ethanol and methanol). These agents are required for proper mixing. The
grinded materials are thoroughly mixed in Agate Mortar for about 12 hrs to get a homogeneous
mixture. Generally we use methanol as a liquid agent.

An Agate Mortar is a type of grinder used to grind materials into extremely fine powder
to form homogeneous mixture for use in paints and ceramics. Agate Mortar, a type of grinder, is
a device used in grinding (or mixing) materials like ores, chemicals, ceramic raw materials and
paints. Agate Mortar rotate around a horizontal axis. It consists of containers partially filled with
the material to be ground plus the grinding medium.

Page 26
 Agate Mortar

3.3 CALCINATION
3.3.1 Definition

Calcination (also referred to as calcining) is a thermal treatment process applied to ores

and other solid materials in which powder mixtures are pre-heated at 1100°C for 2 hrs in silica
crucibles in a linear programmable furnace in order to bring about a thermal decomposition,
phase transition, or removal of a volatile fraction. The calcination process normally takes place at
temperatures below the melting point of the product materials. Calcination is to be distinguished
from roasting, in which more complex gas-solid reactions take place between the furnace
atmosphere and the solids.

The process of calcination derives its name from its most common application, the
decomposition of calcium carbonate (limestone) to calcium oxide (lime) and carbon dioxide, in
order to produce cement. The product of calcination is usually referred to in general as "calcine".
Calcination is carried out in furnaces or reactors (sometimes referred to as kilns) of various
designs including shaft furnaces, rotary

Page 27
 Calcination process

rotary kilns, multiple hearth furnaces, and fluidized bed reactors.

3.3.2 Examples of calcination processes:

• Decomposition of carbonate minerals, as in the calcination of limestone to drive off

carbon dioxide;
• Decomposition of hydrated minerals, as in calcination of bauxite, to remove crystalline
water as water vapor;

3.3.3 Calcination Reactions

Calcination reactions usually take place at or above the thermal decomposition

temperature (for decomposition and volatilization reactions) or the transition temperature (for
phase transitions). This temperature is usually defined as the temperature at which the standard
Gibb's free energy of reaction for a particular calcination reaction is equal to zero.

Examples of chemical decomposition reactions common in calcination processes, and

their respective thermal decomposition temperatures include:

CaCO3 = CaO + CO2; 848°C

Page 28
3.4 POST MIXING
3.4.1 Definition

The mixing powders which have been calcined at 1100°C in furnace are then crushed
manually (with the help of hands), because after calcination, powder becomes hard, so powder is
crushed and again mixed in Ball Mill for 12 hrs with liquid mixing agent (methanol ) in order to
get a more homogeneous mixture .

3.5 GRANULATION AND SIEVING

3.5.1 Definition of granulation

Granulation is the process or an act of forming or crystallizing into grains.

Granulation is often required to improve the flow of powder mixtures and mechanical
properties. Granules are usually obtained by adding liquids (binder or solvent solutions). Larger
quantities of granulating liquid produce a narrower particle size range and coarser and harder
granules, i.e. the proportion of fine granulate particles decreases. The optimal quantity of liquid
needed to get a given particle size should be known in order to keep a batch-to-batch variations
to a minimum. Wet granulation is used to improve flow, compressibility, homogeneity,
electrostatic properties, and stability of solid dosage forms. The particle size of the granules is
determined by the quantity and feeding rate of granulating liquid. Generally the fine powders are
granulated using an organic binder, 3 wt % PVA (Poly Vinyl Alcohol), to provide strength and
flow ability to granules.

3.5.2 Definition of sieving

Sieving is a process of separation of a mixture of a various sized particles, either dry or

suspended in a liquid, into two or more portions by passing through a screens of specified mesh
sizes. A representative weighed sample is poured into the top sieve which has the largest screen
openings. Each lower sieve in the column has smaller openings than the one above. At the base
is a round pan, called the receiver. The column is typically placed in a mechanical shaker. The
shaker shakes the column, usually for some fixed amount of time.

Generally the granulated powder is passed through sieves of 60-80 mesh B.S.S (250-100
µm approx.) to get a homogeneous mixture of desired granular size.

Page 29
 Sieves

3.6 COMPACTION
3.6.1 Definition

The compaction is the process in which the granule powders are compacted to the pallets
which can be of rectangular (23mm Χ 10 mm) and circular (12mm diameter and 3-4mm
thickness) shapes under a pressure of 98 kN with the help of dyes (palletizer) having cavities of
desired shapes .The pallets are formed in order to study the properties of these dielectric
materials with the help of scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction

Hydraulic press circular and rectangular dyes

Page 30
3.7 SINTERING AND POLISHING
3.7.1 Definition

The pallets which have been formed with the help of palletizer are sintered in linear
programmable furnace. These sintered pallets are polished with fine emery paper to make the
surface smooth, flat and parallel for measurements, because smoothed surfaces show excellent
properties under microscope. Then the samples are coated with silver plating in order to make
the surface gleaming. Finally, ceramic samples of desired shapes and of shiny surfaces are ready
for characterization.

Page 31
 Chapter 4

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

This chapter deals with the results obtained from experimental procedures for dielectric

behaviour of Barium praseodymium titanate ceramic materials.

4.1 X-Ray diffraction

The X-ray diffraction patterns of synthesized samples BaPr1.33Ti3O9 and BaPr2Ti4O12

(namely, sample 1 and sample 2 respectively) are shown below:

Sample1

Sample 2

Sample

Page 32
 Figure 4.1: XRD patterns of synthesized samples BaPr1.33Ti3O9 & BaPr2Ti4O12

It shows that tungsten bronze type structure is formed with an orthorhombic symmetry.

The variation in relative intensities of peaks may be related to the occupation of lattice sites by

the substituted ions.

4.2 DENSITY MEASUREMENT

The density of the synthesized samples has been measured by archimedies method at

30˚C using distilled water as displacement fluid. The equation used to calculate density is as

under.

Density of sample =
mass in air × densityof distilledwater
mass of sampleand wire mass of wire

For sample 1 (BaPr1.33Ti3O9), the density was measured to be 5.4 gm/cm3:

Mass of sample Mass of sample Mass of Density of Density of the

in air(gm) and wire(gm) wire(gm) distilled water(at sample

30˚c)(gm/cm3)
(gm/cm3)
1.1857 0.2244 0.0061 0.996 5.409790
For sample 2 (BaPr2Ti4O12), the density was measured to be 5.24 gm/cm3:

Page 33
Mass of sample Mass of sample Mass of Density of Density of the

in air(gm) and wire(gm) wire(gm) distilled water(at sample

30˚c)(gm/cm3)
(gm/cm3)
1.9301 0.3729 0.3729 0.996 5.23664
It is observed that the ceramics with higher Pr contents have a high value of bulk density. The

substituted ions might have caused decrease in intergranular pores, which is ascribed to small

ionic radius of substituted Pr ions (1.013Å) than Ba ions(1.35Å).

4.3 DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES

The amount of Rare earth element present in barium rare earth titanate produces

significant change in the dielectric behaviour of. The dielectric properties of the synthesized

samples have been found out to be a function of Pr contents and temperature.

4.3.1 Dielectric constant

Figure 4.2 shows the variation of dielectric constant (ε') synthesized samples as a

function of frequency (100 Hz to 1MHz) at room temperature. This shows that dielectric

constant changes from 106.89 to 101.67 for sample 1 and 115.29 to 112.57 for sample 2 as

frequency changes from 100 Hz to 1 MHz. The dielectric constant is affected by three factors: (i)

volume of TiO6 octahedra, (ii) tilting of octahedral strings and (iii) polarizabilities of R and Ba

ions. As the Pr3+ ions substitute for the Ba2+ ions, not only the vacancies were created to maintain

the charge neutrality but also the lattice parameters were changed due to the difference in ionic

radius between Pr3+ and Ba2+. The difference of ion radius directly affect the length of c-axis,

which is the important characteristic of the tungsten-bronze type structure.

Page 34
 Dielectric constant Vs Frequency

118
116

Dielectric Constant
114
112
110 Sample 1
108 Sample 2
106
104
102
100
100 1000 10000 100000 1000000
Frequency (in Hz)

Figure 4.2: Dielectric constant of synthesized samples as a function of frequency

Figure 4.3 and 4.4 shows the variation of dielectric constant (ε') as a function of

temperature (room temp. to 200 0C) at five frequencies ( 100 Hz, 1 KHz, 10 KHz, 100 KHz and

1MHz) for sample 1 and 2 respectively.

Dielectric Constant Vs Temperature

118
116
Dielectric Constant

114
100 Hz
112
110 1 KHz
108 10 K Hz
106 100 K Hz
104
102 1 M Hz
100
98
25 75 125 175
Temperature (in C)

Figure 4.3: Variation of dielectric constant of sample 1 as a function of temperature at

five different frequencies

Page 35
 Dielectric Constant Vs Temperature

125
120

Dielectric Constant
100 Hz
115
1 KHz
110
10 K Hz
105
100 K Hz
100
1 M Hz
95
90
25 75 125 175
Temperature (in C)

Figure 4.4: Variation of dielectric constant of sample 2 as a function of temperature at five

different frequencies

4.3.2 Loss Tangent

Figure 4.5 shows the variation of loss tangent (tanδ) as a function of frequency for both

the samples.

Loss tangent Vs Frequency

0.018
0.016
0.014
0.012
Loss Tangent

0.01
Sample 1
0.008
0.006 Sample 2

0.004
0.002
0
-0.002100 1000 10000 100000 1000000
Frequency (in Hz)

Figure 4.5: Variation of loss tangent (tanδ) as a function of frequency for both samples

Page 36
 Many factors were believed to affect the microwave dielectric loss (loss tangent) and

could be divided into two fields, the intrinsic and extrinsic losses. The intrinsic losses were

mainly caused by lattice variation modes while the extrinsic losses were dominated by second

phases, oxygen vacancies, grain sizes and densification or porosity.

Figures 4.6 and 4.7 show the variation of loss tangent as a function of temperature (room

temp. to 200 0C) at five frequencies ( 100 Hz, 1 KHz, 10 KHz, 100 KHz and 1MHz) for sample 1

and 2 respectively. It is observed that the variation of loss tangent with temperature for a

particular sample is not linear.

Loss Tangent Vs Temperature

0.04
0.035
0.03 100 Hz
Loss Tangent

0.025 1 KHz
0.02 10 K Hz
0.015 100 K Hz
0.01 1 M Hz
0.005
0
25 75 125 175
Temperature (in C)

Figure 4.6: Variation of Loss tangent (tanδ) as a function of temperature for sample 1.

Page 37
 Loss Tangent Vs Temperature

0.035
0.03
100 Hz

Loss Tangent
0.025
1 KHz
0.02
10 K Hz
0.015
100 K Hz
0.01
1 M Hz
0.005
0
25 75 125 175
Temperature (in C)

Figure 4.7: Variation of Loss tangent (tanδ) as a function of temperature for sample 2.

4.3.3 AC Conductivity

AC conductivity (σ) is derived from the dielectric constant and loss tangent using the following

relation:

σ = ε0ωtanδ = ε''ε0ω

where, ε0 (8.854*10-12 F/m) is the permittivity of free space and ω (=2πf) is the angular

frequency.

The plots for ac conductivity of synthesized samples are shown in figure 4.8 as a function

of frequency at room temperature. Very low conductivity has been observed for the prepared

samples. It basically decreased with increase in Pr contents, but increased with frequency.

Page 38
 Actually, the dielectric conductivity (σ) sums over all the dissipative effects of the

material. Conductivity might have originated caused by migrating charge carriers and it may also

refer to an energy loss associated with the dispersion of ε', for example, the friction

accompanying the orientation of dipoles. Also, the defect centres and impurities could contribute

to the conductivity which are generally randomly distributed in dielectrics. Moreover, the excess

electrons or excess holes due to their interaction with lattice ions generally distort the

surroundings in such a way that the potential well thereby generated is deep enough to introduce

localization leading to the existence of conduction. No doubt, its value remains very low in the

case of dielectrics but it does exist.

AC Conductivity Vs Frequency

3.50E-09
AC Conductivity (Mho/cm)

3.00E-09
Sample 1
2.50E-09 Sample 2
2.00E-09

1.50E-09

1.00E-09
5.00E-10

0.00E+00
100 1000 10000 100000 1000000
Frequency (in Hz)

Figure 4.8: Variation of AC Conductivity with frequency at room temperature

Page 39
 Chapter 5

CONCLUSIONS

1. Results obtained from X-ray diffraction powder patterns of barium praseodymium

titanate confirms the formation of tungsten bronze type crystal structure with

orthorhombic symmetry.

2. Dielectric constant (ε') as a function of frequency at room temperature decreases for

increasing Pr contents for sample 1 and 2.

3. Loss tangent decreases with increasing Pr content linearly as a function of frequency

from 100 Hz to 1 MHz.

4. Very low AC conductivity has been observed for the prepared samples. It basically

decreased with composition, but increased linearly with frequency.

5. Variations of dielectric constant as a function of temperature at different frequencies, 100

Hz, 1 KHz, 10 KHz, 100 KHz and 1MHz, are investigated and it is found that variation in

dielectric constant as a function of temperature decreases with increase in Pr contents.

6. It can be easily concluded that reasonably good dielectric properties have been obtained

for the two synthesized samples and could be used in wireless communication.

Page 40