Synthesis and analysis of LiNbO(3) ceramic powders by co-precipitation method

The present paper reports on the preparation and analysis of LiNbO(3)(LN) ceramic powder by a conventional chemical co-precipitation method. An aqueous mixture of ammonium carbonate along with ammonium hydroxide has been used. Lithium niobate ceramic powders have been sintered at 600, 700, 800, 900 and 1000 degree C, respectively. Structural analysis of this material has been carried out upon the measurement of XRD, SEM, EDAX Raman and FTIR spectral profiles systematically. Thermal, magnetic, dielectric ( epsilon ' and epsilon ") ac conductivity ( sigma (ac)) studies have also been investigated. XRD features of LiNbO(3) ceramic powder reveal a hexagonal crystal structure (at an optimized temperature of 800 degree C) based on JCPDS card No: 20-631 and an average crystallite size of this powder has been calculated using the Scherrer's formula. The morphology of the LiNbO(3) ceramic powder has been studied and the particles are in nano sizes from the HRSEM image. Thermal properties of the as synthesized chemicals mix of the sample have been investigated from the measurement of its TG-DTA features. The dielectric properties of the LiNbO(3) have been studied and also its ferromagnetic behaviour has been verified.