Three-Phase Borate Solid Solution With Low Sintering Temperature, High Quality Factor, and Low Dielectric Constant: Experimental and DFT Study
Abstract The sintering and microwave dielectric properties of a ceramic material based on Mg2+ substituted Zn3B2O6 have been widely studied using first principles calculations and experimental solid-state reactions. Characterization methods include the Network Analyzer, X-ray, Raman diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and differential-thermal & thermo-mechanical analyzer. The increasing amount of Mg2+ results in the appearance of Mg2B2O5 and ZnO, and the mutual substitution (Mg2+ and Zn2+) phenomenon has emerged in Zn3B2O6 and Mg2B2O5. The mechanisms have been explained with the help of DFT calculations. The bond parameters and electron distributions of the ZnO4 tetrahedron and the MgO6 octahedron have been modified due to substitution. The sintering, substitution, and phase formation properties have been analyzed quantitatively through the energy parameters. The best dielectric properties were obtained for x=0.20 sintered at 950℃, εr=6.47, Q×f=89,600GHz (15.2GHz), τf=-48.6ppm/℃, relative density=96.7%. The substitution of Mg2+ to Zn2+ is a feasible method to improve the microwave dielectric properties of the Zn3B2O6 ceramic.