Improvement of ferroelectric properties of PZT ceramics by SBT addition

(1-x)PZT-xSBT ceramics were prepared by a solid-state mixed oxide method. Phase characteristics of (1-x)PZT-xSBT ceramics showed a PZT phase and new phase in the compositions with 0.1 ≤ x ≤ 0.3, while a mainly new phase was observed in the compositionwith x=0.5. The tetragonality (c/a) of PZT phase decreasedwith increasing in SBT content up to x = 0.3. SEM micrographs of the sample surface showed equiaxed grains of the PZT phase and irregularly-shaped grains of the new phase in samples with 0.1 ≤ x ≤ 0.3. The 0.5PZT-0.5SBT sample showed mainly irregularly-shaped grains of the new phase. The ferroelectric properties of these samples showed that the addition of small amounts of SBT (x = 0.1) into PZT increased the remanent polarization. Copyright © 2013 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC