Synthesis, electrical resistivity, thermo-electric power and magnetization of cubic ZnMnO3

Cubic ZnMnO3 powder in the form of well-crystalline nanoflakes have been synthesized at low temperatures from a nitrate precursor. The electrical properties of cubic ZuMnO(3) samples have been established by DC resistivity (rho) and thermo-electric power (Seebeck coefficient) measurements on a pressed pellet. The material exhibits insulator behavior with 0.7 eV acceptor ionization energy in the measured temperature range of 170-300 K. The thermo-electric power indicates a positive sign of the charge carriers. The obtained material exhibits a superparamagnetic signature with a blocking temperature of 9 K and the ZFC-FC splitting temperature of 15 K. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.