Nanosized PZN-BT powders were synthesized directly from their constituent component oxide mixture via a high-energy ball milling process. XRD patterns showed that perovskite phase could be formed after, milling for 5 h, while single phase perovskite was achieved when the milling was prolonged for 12 h. Further increase in milling time (20 h) led to the formation of pyrochlore phase. PZN-BT ceramics were obtained by sintering the milled powders at temperatures from 1000 to 1100degreesC for I h. The 1100degreesC-sintered PZN-BT samples derived from the 12 h milled powders have a density of similar to99% of the theoretical density with an average grain size of about 4 mum, a dielectric constant of 2300 and a dielectric loss of 0.03, being in good agreement with the reported results for PZN-BT prepared by the conventional solid-state reaction process. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.