Effect of La substitution on the structural and electrical properties of BaBi4−xLaxTi4O15

Pure and lanthanum doped barium bismuth titanate BaBi4−xLaxTi4O15 (BBLT, x=0, 0.05, 0.15, 0.30) ceramics were prepared utilizing solid state method. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) data confirmed formation of single-phase Aurivillius compounds while SEM micrographs did not show evident grain size change of doped ceramics. Dielectric properties were investigated in 1.21 kHz to 1 MHz frequency range and in the temperature range of 20 to 727 °C. When Bi3+ is substituted with La3+, a significant disorder was induced and the material exhibited broadening of the phase transition. Impedance analysis confirmed the presence of two semicircular arcs in doped samples suggesting the existence of grain and grain-boundary conduction. The dc-conductivity and activation energies were evaluated for all compositions.