Size effect and dielectric properties of NH4H2PO4 - porous glass composites

NH4H2PO4 nano-composite antiferroelectric materials in porous glass have been studied by means of dielectric and dilatometric investigations. Dielectric spectroscopy measurements in a wide frequency range are reported here for the first time, for both the antiferro- and paraelectric phases of ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (ADP) embedded in a porous matrix. Low frequency relaxation processes above the phase transition temperature were shown to occur. An investigation of the thermal expansion revealed a negative volume jump at the phase transition point. It was found that the phase transition temperature in ADP crystals embedded in porous glass decreased with the decrease of the mean pore size. The experimentally observed shift of the phase transition temperature is caused by a combination of size and pressure effects.