Intermediate phases in the region of a morphotropic transition and the properties of ferroelectric piezoceramics

It is established that the region of a morphotropic phase transition in ternary solid solution systems based on lead zirconate titanate exhibits a complicated structure. The maxima of the physical characteristics of solid solutions in this morphotropic phase transition region are determined to a considerable extent by an intermediate phase. A series of solid solutions with good prospects for applications in high-temperature piezoceramics technology are found.     

Defect Structure of Alkaline-Earth,Cadmium, and Lead Titanates

X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and x-ray microanalysis data indicate that Ba, Ca, Sr, Cd, and Pb titanates contain defect structures associated with crystallographic shear. Spatially periodic shear gives rise to modulated displacements of the Ti and O atoms across the shear plane, resulting in long-period structures. The parameters of such structures depend on the nature of the sample (single crystal, ceramic, or powder), its microstructure, and the crystal chemistry of the titanate.__________Translated from Neorganicheskie Materialy, Vol. 41, No. 5, 2005, pp. 573–584.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Reznichenko, Shilkina, S. Titov, Razumovskaya, V. Titov, Shevtsov.     

Structure and dielectric characteristics of PbFe<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>Nb<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> single crystals grown under different conditions

The structure and dielectric and magnetic characteristics of plumbum ferroniobate crystals grown from a solution–melt containing potassium fluoride have been investigated. The obtained crystals have a cubic shape, 4-mm edges, and a rhombohedral structure at room temperature. Iron ions in the samples have the valence state of Fe³⁺. A change in the Mössbauer spectra with a change in temperature has been registered; this is indicative of strong diffusion of the magnetic phase transition in the range from–130 to–230°C, which is enhanced due to incorporation of fluorine atoms into the structure of the basic compound accompanying the synthesis process and clusterization of this structure. The latter phenomena also lead to a decrease in the temperature of transition from the ferro- to paraelectric phase.     

Effect of sintering temperature on the density, piezodielectric response, and mechanical and elastic properties of materials of different functional groups

This paper describes the synthesis of Ba-doped PbZn_1/3Nb_2/3O₃-PbMg_1/3Nb_2/3O₃-PbNi_1/3Nb_2/3O₃-PbTiO₃ multicomponent solid solutions rich in PbNi_1/3Nb_2/3O₃, which include ferroelectric relaxors, ferroelectrics with a diffuse phase transition, and classic ferroelectrics, and presents the phase diagrams along three cuts through a section near PbNi_1/3Nb_2/3O₃. We examine the effect of sintering temperature on the density, piezodielectric response, and mechanical and elastic properties of ceramics of different functional groups; optimize the conditions for the fabrication of such ceramics, and compare the performance parameters of the materials obtained with those of their commercially available analogs.     

Microstructure and dielectric and piezoelectric properties of PbFe0.5Nb0.5O3 ceramics modified with Li2CO3 and MnO2

Unmodified lead ferroniobate (PFN) and samples modified with 1 wt % Li₂CO₃ (PFNL) and 1 wt % MnO₂ (PFNM) have been prepared by solid-state reactions followed by sintering by a conventional ceramic processing technique. The modifiers have been shown to change the nature of the recrystallization sintering process, reduce the optimal sintering temperature of the material, increase its average grain size, stabilize its dielectric properties, and improve its piezoelectric performance. The observed effects are interpreted in terms of the crystal-chemical specifics of the modifiers and their location in the structure of the parent compound.     

The PZT system (PbTixZr1–xO3, 0≤x≤1.0): The real phase diagram of solid solutions (room temperature) (Part 2)

The sequence of phase transformations in the ceramic system PbTi_xZr_1?xO₃ (0≤x≤1.0) is determined and the real phase diagram of solid solutions is built. The observed periodicity of phase formation processes in the rhombohedral and tetragonal regions is explained by the real (defective) structure of PZT system ceramics, which is in many respects related to the variable valence of Ti ions and, as a result, to formation, accumulation, and ordering of point defects (oxygen vacancies) and their elimination by crystallographic shifts. The obtained results are useful in interpretation of the macroscopic properties of ceramics based on the PZT system.     

The PZT system (PbZr1-xTixO3, 0.0≤x≤1.0): Specific features of recrystallization sintering and microstructures of solid solutions (Part 1)

This work is concerned with the specific features of sintering of solid solutions of the PZT system (PbZr_1?xTi_xO₃, 0.0≤x≤1.0) depending on composition. The microstructure of the solid-solution ceramics has been found to be a fairly homogeneous, mosaic, sufficiently close packing of isometric crystallites with a range of section from 3 to 11 μm, but there exists a number of special features related to the component and phase composition of the objects. It has been found that the changes in multifractal parameters of grain structure of these ceramics reflect with high sensitivity the processes of phase transformations in the solid solutions. The obtained results are useful in developing piezoelectric materials based on the PZT system.