Preparation, structure, and electric properties of the Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3–Pb(Yb1/2Nb1/2)O3–PbTiO3 ternary ferroelectric system ceramics near the morphotropic phase boundary

Ceramics of the xPb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3–(1 − x − y)Pb(Yb1/2Nb1/2)O3–yPbTiO3 (PZN–PYN–PT) ternary system were synthesized using a modified two-step columbite precursor method which can effectively suppress the pyrochlore phase. A morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) region, separating tetragonal and rhombohedral phases in the ternary systems has been determined. The electric properties of the compositions near MPB region were investigated. Dielectric response exhibits relaxor-like characteristics with broad dielectric peaks and dispersive dielectric behavior with respect to frequency and temperature. The phase diagram of the 0.45PZN–(0.55 − y)PYN–yPT pseudo-binary system in the composition range of 0.15 < y < 0.35 was established based on dielectric measurements. The optimal properties were achieved in the MPB composition of 0.52PZN–0.21PYN–0.27PT with piezoelectric coefficient d33, dielectric permittivity ε′, planar electromechanical coupling kp, dielectric loss tan δ, coercive field Ec, remnant polarization Pr, and TC being of 558 pC/N, 2065, 62%, 0.2%, 19.88 kV/cm, 31.44 μC/cm2 and 259.5 °C, respectively, showing potential usage in high-temperature electromechanical applications.