Rezumat
CZU 550.832
The A.C. impedance plots were used as tools to analyze the electrical response of two varieties of Tunisian halloysite 1:1 and illitic samples 2:1 as a function of frequency at different temperatures (80–800°C). The real and imaginary parts of the complex impedance trace semicircles in the complex plane. Except for the illite, It-1, the second sample analyzed in this study, these plots give evidence for the presence of both bulk and grain boundary effect, above 600°C onwards. The bulk resistance of the materials decreases with the rise in temperature. Impedance Spectroscopy data reveal a non-Debye type of dielectric relaxation. The Nyquist plots show the negative temperature coefficient of resistance of both pure Tunisian illite and halloysite samples. The results of bulk electrical conductivity and its activation energy are presented for the two mineral clay samples. For illite It-1, the activation energy values estimated from the AC conductivity pattern and modulus pattern are very similar and suggest a possibility of a long-range mobility of charge carriers (ions) via hopping mechanism of electrical transport processes at higher temperature. On the other hand, for the halloysite sample provided from kasserine, (Ha-Kass), the modulus analysis admit that the electrical transport processes of the material are very likely of electronic nature. Relaxation frequencies follow an Arrhenius behavior with the activation energy values not comparable to those found for the electrical conductivity.
Keywords: kaolinite, illite, hopping mechanism, impedance analysis, electrical conductivity.