La0·7Ca0.3−xSrxMnO3:Ag0.2 (0.0165 ≤ x ≤ 0.1) ceramics with large and stable TCR in different magnetic field environments.

La 0·7 Ca 0.3− x Sr x MnO 3 :Ag 0.2 (LCSMO:Ag) ceramics with varying strontium (Sr) content (x = 0.0165, 0.03, 0.05, 0.07, and 0.1) were synthesized using a combination of sol–gel and solid-state doping methods and studied as colossal magnetoresistance materials. Significant improvements in the peak temperature coefficient of resistivity (TCR) and resistivity (ρ) were observed across all ceramic samples when the mol% of Sr was adjusted. The low ρ and large TCR values resulted from a combination of two factors. First, the presence of Sr led to the increase in the grain size and decrease in the number of boundaries, which improved the electrical transport and reduced the boundary scattering effects. This resulted in additional improvement in the grain arrangement order. Second, the cell volume (V cell) and octahedron volume (V oct) both decreased first and then increased. The MnO 6 octahedron underwent gradual deformation into a flattened shape, which facilitated carrier migration and increased electrical sensitivity of the material. The ceramic with x = 0.03 maintained high and stable TCR values in different working environments, both without a magnetic field (TCR o , 54.76% K−1) and in the presence of a vertical field (TCR ⊥ , 33.33% K−1). Furthermore, the material exhibited a low resistivity and a higher insulator–metal transition temperature (T p). Performance differences among the samples were comprehensively and systematically explained by conducting cross magnetic field tests with field directions parallel and perpendicular to the flat surface of the bulk material, respectively. Overall, the findings of this study indicate that these ceramics act as promising candidates for future applications in information storage devices and magnetic sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]