Retailoring the morphotropic phase boundary to enhance the electric performance by adjusting Zr/Ti ratio in Pr-doping PZT system

A series of Zr/Ti ratios varying from (40/60) to (60/40) were carried out for regaining the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) region in PZT system. In order to optimize the Zr/Ti ratio required, the systematic study was conducted for exploring the effect on phase composition, microstructure, and electric properties by different Zr/Ti ratio. The XRD refinement was used to quantify the relative content of rhombohedral and tetragonal phase, and the results show that the MPB moves to the rhombohedral phase region as well as the optimum Zr/Ti ratio of two phases coexistence is re-obtained at the (55/45). The sample with Zr/Ti ratio of (55/45) possesses the best electrical performance due to larger domain size and a more flexible domain deflection, which may because the increase in the sintering temperature leading to the increase of grain and domain size caused by the increasing in ZrO2 content. Meanwhile, the superior electrical performance is obtained in sample with (55/45) Zr/Ti ratio, which acquires values of d33 = 434 pC/N, Kp = 0.55, & epsilon;r = 1866, tan & delta; = 0.03, respectively.