Normal/relaxor ferroelectric characteristics of lead-based PZT-PXN ceramics prepared by columbite/wolframite precursors method

The influences of the relaxor ferroelectric modification on dielectric and ferroelectric properties of the normal ferroelectric in (1-y)Pb(Zr-1/2 Ti-1/2)O-3-(y)Pb(X1/3Nb2/3)O-3 or (1-y)PZT-(y)PXN systems, with X = Co2+, Ni2+, and Zn2+, and y = 0.1-0.5, using columbite/wolframite precursor method have been investigated. The columbite of CoNb2O6, NiNb2O6, and ZnNb2O6 and wolframite ZrTiO4 were weighed and introduced into the batch calculation. The dielectric constant of the samples showed a maximum dielectric constant at y = 0.2 for all systems, while the transition temperature decreased with increasing relaxor compounds in the system. In addition, the polarization-electric field (P-E) hysteresis loops of the ceramic systems also changed significantly with the relaxor materials content, and reached maximum around y = 0.2-0.3. These results clearly showed the significance of relaxor materials content in controlling the electrical properties of the PZT-PXN ceramic systems. Interestingly, the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) lied at y = 0.2-0.3 compositions.