Role of Secondary Phase in High Power Piezoelectric PMN‐PZT Ceramics

Abstract

This study reports the dielectric and piezoelectric properties of 0.4Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3‐0.25PbZrO3‐0.35PbTiO3 (PMN‐PZT), 2 mol% MnO2‐doped 0.4Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3‐0.25PbZrO3‐0.35PbTiO3 (MnO2+PMN‐PZT), and 0.06Pb(Mn1/3Nb2/3)O3‐0.34Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3‐0.25PbZrO3‐0.35PbTiO3 (PMnN+PMN‐PZT) ceramics. The results show that MnO2 modification results in the formation of MgO secondary phase which promotes grain growth and reduces the electromechanical properties. We conclusively demonstrate that Mn2+ acts as pervoskite stabilizer in Pb‐based (1:2) relaxors and leads to the formation of divalent oxide secondary phase. Modification with PMnN avoids the formation of MgO and provides combinatory doping effect with smaller grain sizes.