Dielectric properties and microstructures of (CaxSr1-x)ZrO3 ceramics

The effects of Ca/Sr ratio and the sintering temperature on the properties of $(Ca_xSr_{(1-x)})ZrO_3$ (CSZ) ceramics were investigated in this study. CSZ ceramics were prepared using solid-state reaction process, which were sintered in air at temperatures ranging from $1350^{\circ}C$ to $1450^{\circ}C$. Their structures were characterized by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The change in Ca/Sr ratio significantly affected the crystalline phase and the dielectric properties of the $(Ca_xSr_{(1-x)})ZrO_3$ ceramics. The secondary phase, $Ca_{0.15}Zr_{0.85}O_{1.85}$, was observed and increased correspondingly with the rising of sintering temperatures. In order to understand the effects of secondary phase on the dielectric properties of CSZ ceramics, the $Ca_{0.15}Zr_{0.85}O_{1.85}$ phase was prepared individually using solidstate method. The $Ca_{0.15}Zr_{0.85}O_{1.85}$ ceramics sintered at $1500^{\circ}C$ for 2 hours possessed a dielectric constant (${\varepsilon}_r$) of 21.7, a dielectric loss ($tan{\delta}$) of $49.510^{-4}$ and an Insulation Resistance (IR) of $2.1{\times}10^{10}{\Omega}$. The ($Ca_{0.7}Sr_{0.3})ZrO_3$ ceramics exhibited the best dielectric properties, with a permittivity of 29, a dielectric loss ($tan{\delta}$) of $2.7{\times}10^{-4}$, and an Insulation Resistance (IR) of $2.6{\times}10^{12}{\Omega}$.