Temperature dependent current conduction analysis of natural zeolite materials

In this study, the variation of resistance and dielectric properties of a natural type of zeolite with grinding time was investigated. For this purpose, 7 different samples were prepared from the stone sample by hand-grinding and milling in a device with ball agates at different milling times. Structural, morphological, thermal, resistance and dielectric analyses of these samples were performed. From the X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of the samples, it was observed that monoclinic-crystalline of clinoptilolite-type zeolite was the dominant phase. It was seen from the particle size analysis that the average particle size of the samples was in the nanometer scale. From the thermal analysis performed with a thermogravimetric measurement (TG) device, all samples showed similar behavior and registered about 10% loss in mass when the temperature was increased from room temperature to 800 K. Resistance and dielectric measurements were made in the temperature range of 300-800 K. Dielectric constant, dissipation factor and conductivity were compared for all temperatures in the frequency range of 10 kHz-1.5 MHz. Through the DC resistance analysis, it was observed that the resistance increased with the increase in temperature up to 400 K and then decreased with the further increase in temperature. It was observed that the dielectric constant of the samples, especially in the silver nanoparticle-doped samples, remained almost unchanged throughout the investigated temperature range. Eventually, it has been concluded that natural clinoptilolites found in Turkey have the potential to be used in electronic device and natural dielectric capacitor applications by virtue of their resistance and dielectric properties manifested in a wide temperature range