Microstructural evolution and strongly enhanced dielectric response in Sn-doped CaCu3Ti4O12/CaTiO3 ceramic composites

•Sn-doped CaCu3Ti4O12/CaTiO3 composites can be prepared by a one-step process.•Grain size of CaCu3Ti4O12 phase was enhanced as a result of Sn4+ doping.•ε′ was greatly enhanced from 2170 to 10435; while, tanδ was slight increased.•The results strongly indicated an extrinsic effect on the ε′ response.

Sn4+-doped CaCu3Ti4O12/CaTiO3 composites were prepared using a solid state reaction method employing a simple one-step process. A minor phase of CaTiO3 grains was very well dispersed into the CaCu3Ti4O12 matrix and these two phases were clearly separated from each other in CaTiO3/CaCu3Ti4O12. The grain size of the CaCu3Ti4O12 phase was largely enhanced by Sn4+ doping. Furthermore, CaTiO3 grains were also found inside the enlarged CaCu3Ti4O12 grains. The microstructural evolution can be described based upon liquid phase sintering and the pinning effect by second-phase particles. The dielectric permittivity of Sn4+-doped CaCu3Ti4O12/CaTiO3 was greatly enhanced from ∼2 × 103 to ∼0.6–1.3 × 104 at 103 Hz, while, the dielectric loss tangent was still low. The nonlinear properties were degraded as a main result of microstructural evolution. These results strongly indicated an extrinsic effect upon both of the giant dielectric response and nonlinear properties of CaCu3Ti4O12-based compounds.

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