Effect of PMS modification on dielectric and piezoelectric properties in xPMS–(1 − x)PZT ceramics

Abstract

The structural, dielectric and piezoelectric properties of xPMS–(1 − x)PZT ceramics were investigated as a function of Pb(Mn1/3Sb2/3)O3 (PMS) content by x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and dielectric and piezoelectric spectroscopy techniques. All the Pb(Mn1/3Sb2/3)O3–PbZrO3–PbTiO3 (PMS–PZT) samples exhibit a single phase of perovskite structure with tetragonal symmetry. Dielectric studies revealed that the phase transition temperature (Tc) is suppressed with increasing PMS content. For PMS–PZT samples with 0.08 ⩽ x ⩽ 0.15, the maximum dielectric constant decreases as the measurement frequencies increase and the permittivity maximum temperature (Tm) is shifted towards higher temperatures as well, which indicates that dielectric relaxor behaviour was observed, while for x = 0.02 and 0.05, there is no shift in Tm, which implies normal ferroelectric behaviour. The samples with a composition of x = 0.05 exhibit excellent dielectric and piezoelectric properties (εr = 1540, d33 = 360 pC N−1, Kp = 0.58, tan δ = 0.45%, Qm = 1210) and, therefore, should be ideal candidates for high-power applications, such as in piezoelectric transformers.