Nano-crystalline powders and microwave dielectric properties of Zr0.8Sn0.2TiO4 ceramics derived using deep eutectic solvents

Choline chloride-malonic acid deep eutectic solvent (Cm-DES) was employed to synthesize Zr 0.8 Sn 0.2 TiO 4 nano-powders using Zr(CH 3 COO) 4 , SnCl 2 ∙2H 2 O, and Ti(OCH 3 CH 3 ) 4 as raw materials. The Zr 0.8 Sn 0.2 TiO 4 nano-powder with the mean grain size of 10.7 nm was obtained at 450 °C, significantly lower than that by conventional mixed oxide routes. Meantime, the densification of Zr 0.8 Sn 0.2 TiO 4 ceramics was improved using the as-synthesized powder. The Zr 0.8 Sn 0.2 TiO 4 ceramics with relative density of 96.8 % were obtained at 1350 °C and it exhibited good microwave dielectric properties (ε r = 37.8, Q f = 42,600 GHz, and τ f = − 4.1 ppm/°C). These results show that Cm-DES route is suitable for the synthesis of Zr 0.8 Sn 0.2 TiO 4 nano-powders, is beneficial to the low-temperature firing of Zr 0.8 Sn 0.2 TiO 4 ceramics, and helps reduce energy consumption and time costs.