Structure and electrical characterization of ZnO-Ag phosphate glasses

Abstract

Silver zinc phosphate glasses with a composition (40 − x/2) P2O5 – (40 − x/2) Na2O–20ZnO–x AgNO3 (x = 5, 10 and 15 mol%) were prepared of the glasses via conventional melt-quenching technique. From the Raman spectrum, the structure of the glasses was analyzed. Conduction and relaxation mechanisms in these glasses were studied using impedance spectroscopy in a frequency range from 10 Hz to 13 MHz and a temperature range from 323 K to 623 K. The dependence of electrical data on frequency was analyzed in the framework of the Nyquist's plot and Jonscher's power law. The semicircles observed in the plots indicate a double relaxation process. The studied materials exhibit a significant contribution of bulk and interfacial effect to electrical conduction and to non-Debye relaxation process. The dc conductivity (σdc) follows Arrhenius behavior with temperature. The ac and dc conductivities of the samples were found to increase with the increase in temperature. The conductivity variation for P2O5-Na2O-ZnO glasses doped with various concentrations of AgNO3 was explained by the presence of ionic contribution. The dielectric characterizations include measurements involving the variation of the dielectric constant as well as the dielectric loss with frequency. The dielectric studies show low values for the dielectric constant and loss at high frequencies. Dependence of the electrical modulus of the glasses on frequency and temperature presented a relaxation phenomenon.