Influence of Zr Substitution on Ferroelectric Properties of BST Ceramics

Abstract

Zirconium substituted strontium modified barium titanate ceramics with compositional formula Ba_0.9Sr_0.1Ti_1-xZr_xTiO₃ (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.16 in steps of 0.04) were prepared by the solid state reaction route. Effects of substitution of Zr⁴⁺ on the physical and ferroelectric properties were studied. Decrease in relative density with increase in Zr content was observed. Ceramic sample with 4 mol% Zr showed maximum remnant polarization (11.5 μC/cm²) and coercive field (3.2 kV/cm). Microstructural information collected from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was found helpful to explain ferroelectric properties.

Keywords:

• Ferroelectric properties
• BST, SEM
• relative density
• Zirconium

Acknowledgments

Communicated by Professor Amar Bhalla