Structural transition and microwave dielectric properties of ZnNb2O6-TiO2 sintered at low temperatures

The addition of CuO to ZnNb2O6-TiO2 significantly lowered the sintering temperature to similar to900degreesC in comparison to similar to1200degreesC for samples without CuO. The effect of CuO additions on the phase transitions and microwave dielectric properties of 0.42ZnNb(2)O(6)-0.58TiO(2) has been investigated using X-ray powder diffraction and a network analyzer. The structural transition from columbite and rutile to ixiolite was influenced by both the sintering temperature as well as the amount of CuO. These influences, however, were competing. Therefore, it is assumed that the different constitutions of crystal structure of ZnNb2O6-TiO2 samples due to increase either the sintering temperature or the amount of CuO lead to considerable variation in the microwave dielectric properties. The tau(f) was modified to similar to0 ppm/degreesC, as a result of the variation in phase constitutions as a function of composition.