![Sample our Physical Sciences journals, sign in here to start your FREE access for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/110819/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Physical-Sciences.jpg"})
Abstract
The ferroelectric and fatigue properties of (1 − x)(PbZn1/3Nb2/3O3) + x(PbZr0.52Ti0.48 O3) (PZNZT) ceramics, sintered using microwave and conventional resistance heating, were investigated using electrical property measurements and microstructural investigations. We found that the rhombohedral and the tetragonal phases coexist in the perovskite PZNZT system at the composition of x = 0.5 to 0.8, which has high coupling coefficient, high remanent polarization (Pr) and low coercived field (Ec). Comparing with the conventional sintered PZNZT specimens, the microwave sintered ones showed improved fatigue-resistant properties. Microstructural investigations using transmission electron microscopy and EDS investigations show that the CS specimens exhibit pronounced elemental segregation of PbO and ZnO at the grain boundaries, but microwave sintered ones don't. The results imply that microwave sintering reduces the PbO/ZnO evaporation and amorphous intergranular layers effectively. This suggests that the microwave sintered specimens exhibiting much less amorphous layers may introduce less cracks at the grain boundaries during repeated switching, and therefore enhance fatigue resistance.