Sinterability and microwave dielectric properties of nano structured 0.95MgTiO3–0.05CaTiO3 synthesised by top down and bottom up approaches

0.95MgTiO3–0.05CaTiO3 (MCT) nano powders were synthesised using sol–gel method and high energy ball milling (HEBM). Synthesised powders were characterised using X-ray diffraction analysis to ensure phase purity and HRTEM to determine the fine microstructural features like particle size, interplanar spacing, etc. The powder pellets were heat treated to study the sinterability and microwave dielectric properties and these properties were then compared with the microwave dielectric properties of micron sized sample. Nano powder synthesised using HEBM shows better dielectric properties, sinterability and gets densified to 90% of theoretical density (TD) at 1200 °C/2 h. Dielectric resonators prepared using chemically synthesised nano powder showed poor sinterability and microwave dielectric properties, but, dielectric properties of HEBM samples were very near to that of solid state synthesised samples. Sintered HEBM powders retain the microwave dielectric properties almost to the same level as the solid state synthesised powder with considerable lowering of sintering temperature.

Research highlights▶ 0.95MgTiO3–0.05CaTiO3 (MCT) nano powders were synthesized using sol–gel method and high energy ball milling (HEBM). ▶ The powder pellets were heat treated to study the sinterability and microwave dielectric properties and these properties were then compared with the microwave dielectric properties of micron sized sample. ▶ Nano powder synthesized using HEBM shows better dielectric properties, sinterability. ▶ HEBM powders retain the microwave dielectric properties almost to the same level as the solid state synthesized powder with considerable lowering of sintering temperature.