Dielectric and piezoelectric properties of PbZrO3–PbTiO3–Pb(Ni1/3, Sb2/3)O3 ferroelectric ceramic system

Perovskite PZT variants were synthesized from stoichiometric oxide ratios of Pb, Zr, Ti, Ni and Sb. The oxide powders were mixed mechanically and calcinated, and then sintered to form the desired perovskite phase. The multi-component ceramic system consisting of the PbZrO3–PbTiO3–Pb(Ni1/3, Sb2/3)O3 (PZT-PNS) ternary system near the rhombohedral/tetragonal morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) was investigated by X-ray diffraction and dielectric properties. The MPB traces an almost linear region between the two MPB compositions of PZT-PNS 46/44/10 and PZT-PNS 41/49/10. The piezoelectric properties of PZT-PNS were analyzed using the resonant frequency method. The maximum electromechanical coupling factor kp=0.69 was found at PZT-PNS 46/44/10, where dielectric constant ε=3100 and Tc=278 °C were obtained.