Ferroelectricity in the glassy material of the composition Bi2O3–Pb3O4–CuO–K2O

Glass sample of the composition 31.4 Bi2O3–2.33 Pb3O4–64.53 CuO–1.74 K2O in mol% was prepared by the conventional quenching melt technique. The as-quenched single phase glass shows interesting ferroelectric properties which is not known in the field of glass science. If the as-quenched glass is heat treated above the glass transition temperature all signs of ferroelectricity disappears completely. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy as well as differential thermal analysis were used to recognize the glassy nature of the as-quenched sample. Ac dielectric measurements were performed as a function of temperature and frequency and showing ferroelectric to paraelectric phase transition at Curie's temperature of 540 K. Non-linear polarization as a function of temperature and applied electric field as well as pyroelectricity were also studied. The conduction mechanism was confirmed to obey the adiabatic small polaron hopping (SPH) and was mainly due to electronic transport between Cu ions. The dominant factor determining conductivity was the hopping carrier mobility in this glass. From the best fits, reasonable values of various SPH and VRH parameters are obtained.