Relaxor to Ferroelectric Transitions in (Bi1/2Na1/2)TiO3-Bi(Zn1/2Ti1/2)O3 Solid Solutions

Recently, (Bi1/2Na1/2)TiO3 solid solutions have been found to exhibit excellent dielectric and piezoelectric properties. In this study, the dielectric and ferroelectric properties of (1-x)(Bi1/2Na1/2)TiO3-Bi(Zn1/2Ti1/2)O-3 (BNTBZT) solid solutions were investigated. Up to a solubility limit of 8% BZT, distortions to the parent cubic perovskite phase were observed in the diffraction data through splitting of the (001), (011), and (111) reflections. At low concentrations of BZT, the material behaved very much like a conventional ferroelectric, with well-saturated loops with high remanent polarization (P-r similar to 35 mu C/cm(2)). As the BZT content increased, the dielectric behavior displayed characteristics of relaxor behavior. Polarization hysteresis data at elevated temperatures and a thermal hysteresis in the dielectric maximum were evidence for a relaxor to ferroelectric transition.