Impact of A cation size of double perovskite A2AlTaO6 (A = Ca, Sr, Ba) on dielectric and catalytic properties

Abstract

Double perovskite-type oxide A2AlTaO6 materials, where A=Ca, Sr and Ba, were prepared using conventional solid state reaction. The role of different A-site cations on their synthesis, structures, dielectric and catalytic properties was investigated. Double perovskite oxide structures were evaluated using X-ray diffraction (XRD). As the average cation size decreases, the crystallographic structure at room temperature evolves from cubic to monoclinic. The influence of the nature of the divalent A-site cations on the dielectric properties was evaluated by resistivity measurements in the frequency range of 10–106Hz. It can be found that relative permittivity and dielectric loss regularly changed with A cation size. Catalytic properties of the obtained compounds were evaluated in water splitting process, under gamma-rays irradiation emitted by a 60Co source for the first time. From experimental data it was noticed that the double perovskite Ca2AlTaO6 had a higher catalytic effect.