Improved sintering characteristics, microstructural evolution and microwave dielectric properties of 0.6Nd[(Zn0.7Co0.3)0.5Ti0.5]O3-0.4(Na0.5Nd0.5)TiO3 ceramics with V2O5 addition

The mixed oxide route was applied to prepare 0.6Nd[(Zn0.7Co0.3)0.5Ti0.5]O3 -0.4(Na0.5Nd0.5)TiO3 (NZCT-NNT) ceramics with different amounts of V2O5 and the sintering behavior, microstructural evolution and microwave dielectric properties of the as-prepared ceramics were investigated in detail. The results showed that a solid solution formed in the investigated compositional range and no secondary phase was detected within the detection limit of in-house analysis facility. Small amounts of V2O5 could significantly promote the densification of the NZCT-NNT ceramics by acting as a sintering aid, resulting in a decrease of about 170 °C in the sintering temperature. The V2O5 addition could also improve the microstructure and the microwave dielectric properties of the NZCT-NNT ceramics. The NZCT-NNT ceramics with 1.5 wt% V2O5 exhibited excellent microwave dielectric properties of dielectric constant εr = 50.29, quality factor QF = 68640 GHz and temperature coefficient of resonant frequency TCF = +2.7 ppm/oC when sintered at 1240 °C for 3 h.