Ferro-and Piezo-Electric Properties of Nb-Doped PZT 65/35 Ceramics

The ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties of conventionally prepared Nb-doped PZT 65/35 ceramics are studied in this work. The influence of Nb content and excess PbO is considered. The measured properties are found to be basically dependent on the degree of densification and structural phase development. In particular, the nature of the ferro-to para-electric phase transition is noted to better fit a generalized rather than Smolenskii-Isupov equation. In nice agreement with Bokov model, substitution of Nb ⁵⁺ for (Zr,Ti) ⁴⁺ is found to induce only poorly diffuse phase transition in these materials. The electrical and electromechanical properties reported in this work are in magnitude comparable to those exhibited by PZT-based materials.

Keywords:

• PZT
• ferroelectric properties
• hysteresis
• piezoelectric properties

Acknowledgments

Financial supports from FCT, a Portuguese research-funding agency, and FAPESP, a Brazilian research-funding agency, are kindly acknowledged.

Paper originally presented at IMF-11, Iguassu Falls, Brazil, September 5–9, 2005