Low sintering temperature of lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate (0.9PMN-0.1PT) by various oxide additives

The sintering of 0.9PMN-0.1PT has been studied using a series of fluxing systems based on selected mixtures of oxides, chosen to reduce the sintering temperature into the range 800-1000degreesC. The first of the systems is based on xBi(2)O(3) + yLi(2)CO(3) where x + y = 10 mol%, where x = 1, 3, 5, 7, 9. The second system uses the addition of V2O5 in the amounts of 0.5 to 3.0 wt.% and the third system employs additions of 1 to 5 wt.% of B2O3 + Bi2O3 + CdO. Each additive system was mixed with the 0.9PMN-0.1PT ceramic powder and an excess of 3 wt.% PbO which has also added to all compositions. The results demonstrated that the sintering temperature for 0.9PMN-0.1PT ceramics could be reduced from 1250degreesC to 800-900degreesC by the addition in a small amount of each fluxing system. However, the optimum properties for each system were found in samples sintered at 1000degreesC for all combination of the fluxing agents. The optimum amount of each combination of oxides added to 0.9PMN-0.1PT shown in the compositions 0.1Bi(2)O(3) + 0.9Li(2)CO(3), 0.5 wt.% of V2O5 and 1.0 wt.% B2O3 + Bi2O3 + CdO. System 1 and 3 promoted rapid densification at 800degreesC, while in system 2 it occurred at 900degreesC. However, the additional oxides did cause degradation of the dielectric and ferroelectric properties, and the decrease was shown to be proportional to increasing volume fractions of the additional oxides added to the 0.9PMN-0.1PT.