Journal of Materials Science, Vol.43, No.15, 5258-5264, 2008
Structure and properties of (1-x)Pb(Mg1/2W1/2)O-3-xPb(Zr0.5Ti0.5)O-3 solid solution ceramics
The widely used piezoelectric Pb(Zr1-x Ti (x) )O-3 ceramics have been known to have Zr4+ and Ti4+ randomly distributed on the B-site lattice in the ABO(3) perovskite structure. In this study, we attempted to develop long range 1:1 B-site cation order by forming the solid solution of (1 - x)Pb(Mg1/2W1/2)O-3 - xPb(Zr0.5Ti0.5)O-3 (x >= 0.60). High temperature X-ray diffraction tests indicate that the cation order is embedded in the structural order. The solid solution ceramics appear to have a non-cubic paraelectric phase above their Curie temperatures. The competition between the antiferroelectric order in Pb(Mg1/2W1/2)O-3 and the ferroelectric order in Pb(Zr0.5Ti0.5)O-3 leads to the relaxor ferroelectric behavior in the solid solution. Since the temperature at dielectric maximum, T-m, is significantly above room temperature, regular polarization versus electric field hysteresis loops are recorded in these compositions at room temperature. In addition, these ceramics show very good piezoelectric properties.