Dielectric and ferroelectric properties of CuO-doped lead magnesium niobate-based relaxor ferroelectric ceramics

In this work, we report the dielectric and ferroelectric properties of CuO-doped (1 - x)[0.5573Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O-3-0.4427PbTiO(3)]x-Ba(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O-3 (PMNT-xBZN) relaxor ferrielectric ceramic samples with x = 0.1725, 0.1925, 02125 and 0.2325, which were fabricated by a conventional solid-state reaction method. By introducing the CuO into PMNT-xBZN, the sintering temperature of this system is drastically lowered from 1280 degrees C to 1120 degrees C. The second pyrochlore phase, which is often generated during sintering at high temperature, is also inhibited. Meanwhile, broad dielectric peaks with strong dielectric relaxation characteristics are observed from 150 degrees C to 100 degrees C. Slim and slanted P-E hysteresis loops and purely electrostrictive strains with V-shape are obtained simultaneously in studied compositions from 30 degrees C to 150 degrees C. These results suggest that CuO could effectively lower the sintering temperature while maintaining the dielectric and ferroelectric properties of PMNT-xBZN relaxor ferroelectric ceramics.