Structure and electric properties of sol–gel derived CaCu3Ti4O12 ceramics as a pyroelectric sensor

A network microstructure with large grains isolated from one another by the regions constituted with the agglomerated fine grains of CCTO ceramics fabricated by sol–gel processing has been investigated. The temperature dependence of dielectric properties associated with the contribution of grain below 90 °C, grain boundary in the temperature range of 90–250 °C, and electrode interface above 250 °C has been demonstrated under 10 kHz from room temperature to 400 °C and the presence of dielectric diffusion behavior above room temperature is clear. Also, the pyroelectric properties have been measured up to 250 °C so as to eliminate the effect of electrode interface and the incidence of the pyroelectric effect associated with the temperature dependence of pyroelectric coefficient implies that CCTO has a vast potential in the field of high-temperature pyroelectric sensing without induced applied bias.