Effect of Zr:Sn ratio in the lead lanthanum zirconate stannate titanate ceramics on microstructure and electric properties

The effect of variations of the Zr:Sn ratio on the microstructure and electric properties of lead lanthanum zirconate stannate titanate (PLZST) antiferroelectric ceramics were investigated. The precursor powders were synthesized by the modified coprecipitation method and all the samples were pure perovskite phase in the XRD patterns. The ceramics sintered at 1100 degrees C exhibited the highest relative density. With the increasing of Sn4+ content, the grain size of the ceramics was decreased in the SEM and the maximum dielectric constant and the corresponding temperature were decreased. The P-E hysteresis loops indicated that it is helpful to steady the anti ferroelectric phase by increasing Sn4+ content. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.