Synthesis, single crystal growth and properties of Sr5Pb3ZnO12

The novel Sr5Pb3ZnO12 oxide was synthesized by the solid-state reaction method. The crystal structure was studied by means of the powder X-ray diffraction Rietveld method and was found to be similar to 3 other previously known Sr5Pb3MO12 compounds (M = Co, Ni, Cu). Crystals of several hundred microns in size of the new phase were grown in molten sodium chloride and imaged using confocal optical and scanning electron microscopy. Electrical properties were studied using the impedance spectroscopy technique. It was found that Sr5Pb3ZnO12 is a dielectric material with rather high relative permittivity (εr=22 at 300 K) and with activation energy of the dielectric relaxation process EA=0.80(4)eV. The heat capacity studies reveal the Debye temperature ΘD=324(1)K.