Study of potassium additive on the phase formation and ferroelectric properties of 0.9PMN–0.1PT ceramics

A recent and innovative method to include Ti into the columbite precursor has permitted to synthesize 0.9PMN–0.1PT powders with high homogeneity. The present work describes this methodology, named modified columbite method, showing that the reaction between MNT and PbO at 800 °C for 2 h results in perovskite single-phase. The crystal structure alterations in the columbite and perovskite phases obtained by this methodology and the effects of potassium doping were investigated by the Rietveld method. Changes in the powder morphology, density and weight loss during the sintering process were also studied. Conclusively, potassium does not affect significantly the perovskite amount, but reduces the particle and grain sizes. This dopant also changes the relaxor behavior of 0.9PMN–0.1PT ceramic, reducing the dielectric loss and enhancing the diffuseness of the phase transition.