Synthesis and Characterization of Nickel Manganite Ceramics by Polymeric Precursors Method

This work presents the synthesis and characterization of NTC ceramic (Negative coefficient Temperature) based on nickel manganite (NiMn2O4) produced by the polymeric precursor method. NiMn2O4 were sintered at 900-1200 °C during 3h to produce the ceramics samples. The effect of sintering temperature on microstructure and electric properties of the NiMn2O4 ceramics was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and temperature dependent resistance R(T) measurements. The XRD measurement indicated formation of cubic spinel-type structure of NiMn2O4. The crystallite size (as confirmed by XRD) and the particle size (as confirmed by SEM) increased as the sintering temperature increased from around 18nm (900 °C) to 100nm (1200 °C). All samples showed NTC behavior and, among the studied ceramics, that one sintered at 1200 °C showed lower resistivity value (~103Ω.cm) at room temperature.