Structural and microstructural study of gamma ray-irradiated co-doped barium titanate (Ba0.88Ca0.12Ti0.975Sn0.025O3)

Abstract

Barium calcium stannate titanate (Ba0.88Ca0.12Ti0.975Sn0.025O3) ceramics, synthesized by solid state reaction method and sintered at 1100 °C/3 h, were exposed to gamma radiation dose of up to 1 kGy using a Cs-137 irradiation source at a dose rate of 100.46Gv/h. Structural analysis of the ceramics indicated a tetragonal perovskite crystalline structure for both pristine and irradiated ceramics with a minor secondary phase. However, slight changes of the lattice parameters and average crystallite size were observed for the irradiated samples. The lattice aspect ratio of the tetragonal phase (c/a) for the pristine ceramics was 1.0022 which decreased by 0.22% at maximum irradiation dose. Irradiation also causes some microstructural changes and slight decrease in grain size. Energy dispersive spectroscopic investigation of the Ba0.88Ca0.12Ti0.975Sn0.025O3 showed small variation in its chemical composition as gamma radiation dose is increased.