Filled Oxygen-Deficient Strontium Barium Niobates

Filled strontium barium niobate (SBN, SrxBa6−xNb10O30−δ) compositions from the barium end-member to a Sr:Ba ratio of 80:20 were fabricated using conventional sintering under oxygen-deficient conditions. Single-phase specimens were obtained when sintered at 1350°C under a reducing condition of about 1.0×10−16 atm pO2. X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive spectroscopy using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were used to confirm the phase-purity. Lattice parameters derived from Rietveld refinements were used to trace Vegard's Law over the solid solution. It was found that Vegard's Law is followed over two ranges, which is believed to be due to preferential site occupancy of the A sites as the Sr content changes. The successful fabrication of filled SBN bronzes provides an avenue for correlating trends in electrical characteristics of the SBN solid solution.