Synthesis, Characterization and DC Conduction Mechanism in Inverse Spinel Compound (Mg2TiO4)

Magnesium Ortho Titanate (Mg2TiO4) has been synthesized by solid state reaction technique and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and dc conductivity. Powder x-ray diffraction analysis indicates single phase nature cubic structure with space group Fd3m. The surface morphology of the sample is investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) which indicates the occurrence of curious cubical growth characteristics resembling a spiral like feature which have emanated from screw dislocations. The dc conductivity of the sample was measured over the range of temperature 77-300 K. The measured room temperature conductivity of the sample is 6.52 ×10 −7 Ohm -1 cm -1 . An effort has been made to explain the conduction mechanism in this sample in terms of the so called Mott’s variable range hopping model. The hopping conduction parameters such as the characteristic temperature (T0), localization length (α), hopping distance (R), activation energy (ΔE), average hopping energy (W) and density of states at the Fermi level (N (EF)) have been worked out.