perovskite and niobium-pentoxide

Reactive sputtering is a versatile technique used to form compact films with excellent homogeneity. In addition, it allows easy control over deposition parameters such as gas flow rate that results in changes on composition and thus in the film required properties. In this report, reactive sputtering is used to deposit niobium oxide films. A niobium target is used as metal source and different oxygen flow rates to deposit niobium oxide films. The oxygen flow rate was changed from 3 to 10 sccm. The films deposited under low oxygen flow rates show higher electrical conductivity and provide better perovskite solar cells when used as electron transport layer.

Topics: Calcium Compounds; Electric Conductivity; Electrochemical Techniques; Electron Transport; Membranes, Artificial; Niobium; Oxides; Oxygen; Titanium

Lead-free (1-x)Ba(Zr₀.₁₅Ti₀.₈₅)O₃-x(K₀.₅Na₀.₅)NbO₃ ; x=0-0.05) (BZT-KNN) perovskite ceramics, a materials with potential applications for energy storage, are investigated. The samples are prepared by a solid-state reaction method. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) are used to study the microstructure of the samples. Their dielectric properties and impedance spectra are reported as functions of temperature and frequency. The addition of 1 mol % (K₀.₅Na₀.₅)NbO₃ to Ba(Zr₀.₁₅Ti₀.₈₅)O₃ improves the dielectric constant and enhances its diffuseness in a wide temperature range. The small amount of (K₀.₅Na₀.₅)NbO₃ is found to markedly affect the microstructure of the Ba(Zr₀.₁₅Ti₀.₈₅)O₃ ceramic (grain size and other characteristics) without changing the phase or crystal symmetry. In addition, we report that fine substructures in the grains, so-called sheet structures, are responsible for the dielectric properties (both diffuseness and dielectric constant) of (1-x)Ba(Zr₀.₁₅Ti₀.₈₅)O₃-x(K₀.₅Na₀.₅)NbO₃ (x=0-0.03; especially x=0.01) ceramics.

Topics: Barium; Calcium Compounds; Carbonates; Ceramics; Electric Impedance; Electric Power Supplies; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Niobium; Oxides; Potassium; Powder Diffraction; Titanium; Zirconium

The distorted perovskites NaTaO(3) and NaNbO(3) have been studied using (23)Na multiple-quantum (MQ) MAS NMR. NaTaO(3) was prepared by high temperature solid state synthesis and the NMR spectra are consistent with the expected room temperature structure of the material (space group Pbnm), with a single crystallographic sodium site. Two samples of NaNbO(3) were studied. The first, a commercially available sample which was annealed at 900 degrees C, showed two crystallographic sodium sites, as expected for the room temperature structure of the material (space group Pbcm). The second sample, prepared by a low temperature hydrothermal method, showed the presence of four sodium sites, two of which match the expected room temperature structure and the second pair, another polymorph of the material (space group P21ma). This is consistent with powder X-ray diffraction data which showed weak extra peaks which can be accounted for by the presence of this second polymorph. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations support our conclusions, and aid assignment of the NMR spectra. Finally, we discuss the measured NMR parameters in relation to other studies of sodium in high coordination sites in the solid state.

Topics: Calcium Compounds; Computer Simulation; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Models, Chemical; Models, Molecular; Molecular Conformation; Niobium; Oxides; Quantum Theory; Sodium; Sodium Isotopes; Tantalum; Titanium