Dielectric relaxation and dielectric response mechanism in (Li, Ti)-doped NiO ceramics

Giant dielectric permittivity (Li, Ti)-doped NiO (LTNO) ceramics are prepared by a simple PVA sol–gel method. The dielectric properties are investigated as a function of frequency (10²–10⁶ Hz) at different temperatures (233–473 K). The concentration of Li has a remarkable effect on the dielectric properties of the LTNO ceramics. The modified Cole–Cole equation, including the conductivity term, is used to describe the experimental dielectric spectra of a high permittivity response with excellent agreement over a wide range of frequencies (10³–10⁶ Hz) and temperatures (233–313 K). A frequency dielectric dispersion phenomenon in an LTNO ceramic is also analyzed by impedance spectroscopy. A separation of the grain and grain boundary properties is achieved using an equivalent circuit model. The grain and grain boundary conduction and the dielectric relaxation time of the Li_0.05Ti_0.02Ni_0.93O follows the Arrhenius law associated with estimated activation energies of 0.216, 0.369 and 0.391 eV, respectively. Through the analysis by the modified relaxation model and impedance spectroscopy, it is strongly believed that the high dielectric permittivity response of the LTNO is not only contributed by the space charge polarization (Maxwell–Wagner polarization) mechanism at low frequency regions, but also by the defect-dipole polarization mechanism at high frequency regions.