Impedance studies of Sr modified BaZr0.05Ti0.95O3 ceramics

Polycrystalline samples of (Ba1−xSrx)(Zr0.05Ti0.95)O3 (x=0, 0.03, 0.06 and 0.09) (BSZT) were prepared by a high-temperature solid-state reaction technique. Preliminary room temperature X-ray study confirmed the formation of single-phase compounds in an orthorhombic crystal system. The electrical properties of BSZT were investigated by an impedance spectroscopy technique in the temperature range of 31–500 °C. Study of the imaginary part of the complex impedance as a function of frequency shows Debye-like relaxation in the materials. Variation of bulk ac conductivity as a function of frequency shows that the compounds exhibit Arrhenius-type of electrical conductivity. The activation energy was calculated from the plot of relaxation time with the inverse of temperature.