Phase structure, microstructure and electrical properties of PCNS–PZ–PT ternary ceramics near the morphotropic phase boundary

Abstract

In the present study, (0.54 − x)Pb(Cr1/5,Ni1/5,Sb3/5)O3-0.46PbZrO3-xPbTiO3 ceramic powders were synthesized by the conventional solid-state reaction process (where x = 0.42, 0.44, 0.46, 0.48 and 0.50). The obtained samples have been characterized using different techniques such as X-ray Diffraction (XRD) which reveals that the samples consist of a mixture of tetragonal and rhombohedral phases (morphotropic phase boundary MPB) in the range of 0.46 ≤ x ≤ 0.48, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) which shows an increase of the average grain size in the morphotropic phase boundary, dielectric measurements and Raman spectroscopy have been performed to get more insights into the effects of titanium dopant (Ti) content on the properties of PCNS–PZ–PT ceramics near the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB). It was found that the ceramic sintered at 1180 °C with Ti = 46% achieves excellent dielectric properties (er = 17,641.58, tan δ = 0.120 and Tc = 576 K).