Microstructural Effect and FTIR Study of Co-Doped Calcium Copper Titanate (CaCu3Ti4O12 )

Objectives: To discover the influence of the Co atom by replacing the Ti atom in CCTO on its chemical properties. Methods: Pure and Co-doped CCTO (CaCu3Ti4-xCoxO12, x=0.05, 0.10, 0.15) ceramics synthesized via solid-state reaction and heating at 950°C for 12 hours with a heating rate of 4°C/min. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) confirmed that CCTO has a single-phase structure. Field Effect Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM) was used to examine the grain size, and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) was used to record the absorption band for all samples. Findings: The size of the material decreases by the doping of the Co atom. No change observed in the shape by the doping of Co atoms in place of Ti atoms. The average particle size of the samples is between 0.3-0.5 micrometers. Novelty: The bond strength improves with the doping of the Cobalt atom. A broad absorption band is observed with the peak of this band shifting towards lower wave numbers. This will be a required condition for energy storage applications. It also enhances the use of CCTO in pharmaceuticals, chemical synthesis, and environmental remediation.