Electrical properties and conduction mechanism of [N(C2H5)4][N(CH3)4]CuCl4 compound

Highlights: • The [N(CH₃)₄][N(C₂H₅)₄]CuCl₄ compound has been synthetized and showed three phase transitions at 248, 284 and 326 K. • These transition are confirmed by the variation of conductivity and modulus as function temperature. • The conduction mechanism in all phase is determined. The [N(CH₃)₄][N(C₂H₅)₄]CuCl₄ single crystal has been synthetized in order to determinate the temperatures transition and to study the electrical properties and the conduction mechanism. At room temperature, this compound crystallizes in the tetragonal system with P-42₁m space group. The calorimetric study shows three anomalies at 248, 284 and 326 K. Electrical conduction and dielectrical relaxation mechanisms at various frequencies and temperatures were analyzed by impedance spectroscopy and the equivalent circuit based on the Z-View-software was proposed. The variation of f_p relaxation determinate by the modulus study and σ_dc specific to the AC conductivity as a function of temperature and confirm the all transitions for our sample. The values of the activation energy are determined and compared by those, which are found in the similar compound. Frequencies dependence of alternative current (AC) conductivity is interpreted in terms of Jonscher's law and the conduction mechanisms for each phase are determined with the Elliot's theory.