Fabrication and anisotropic electrical property for oriented ceramic of Li-(Nb,Ta)-Ti-O system under high-magnetic field

The Li1+x-y(Nb,Ta)1-x-3yTix+4yO3 (0.06 ≤ x ≤ 0.33, 0 ≤ y ≤ 0.09) forms a unique and periodical structure as a superstructure. In this work, toward application of the unique qualities of an electro-ceramic, we fabricated oriented bulk ceramics by slip casting in a strong magnetic field of 12 T. The c-axis of the powders was aligned parallel to the magnetic field. As a result, we found anisotropic- electric properties which were caused by a superstructure with intergrowth layers of corundum-type [Ti2O3]2+. In the Li-Nb-Ti-O system, the Qf value parallel to the c-axis was about five times greater than that of perpendicular to the c-axis. We concluded from our analytical and simulation results that the large Qf value parallel to the c-axis was caused from a combination of two factors; one being the anisotropic electron conductivity and the other the anisotropic bonding strength in the superstructure by insertion of the intergrowth layer.