Stress-dependent ferroelectric properties of Pb(Zr1/2Ti1/2)O3–Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3 ceramic systems

Effects of compressive stress on the ferroelectric properties of ceramics in PZT–PZN systems were investigated. (1 − x )Pb(Zr 1/2 Ti 1/2 )O 3 ( x Pb(Zn 1/3 Nb 2/3 )O 3 or (1 − x )PZT–( x )PZN ( x = 0.1–0.5) ceramics were prepared by a conventional mixed-oxide method. The ferroelectric properties under compressive stress of the PZT–PZN ceramics were observed at stress levels up to 170 MPa using a compressometer in conjunction with a modified Sawyer–Tower circuit. It was found that with increasing compressive stress the area of the ferroelectric hysteresis (P–E) loops, the saturation polarization ( P sat ), the remanent polarization ( P r ), and the coercive field ( E c ) decreased. These results were interpreted through the non-180° ferroelectric domain switching processes.