Dielectric constant of particles determined by impedance spectroscopy

Electrical characterization of slurries prepared by mixing dielectric powders with solvents can be used to estimate dielectric properties of the particles. In particular, dielectric constant of the particles can be calculated from effective dielectric constant of the slurry measured at high frequency by using the Lorentz-Lorenz or similar equations based on mixing rules. Unfortunately, this approach leads to high margin of errors in dielectric constant estimation and is very sensitive to any slurry nonidealities such as sedimentation or agglomeration of particles. Impedance spectroscopy techniques are introduced to measure dielectric properties of particles at different frequency ranges. Dielectric constant of strontium titanate particles, suspended in butoxyethanol, was determined reproducibly by impedance spectroscopy using an appropriate equivalent circuit model. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.