Densification behavior and electrical properties of Pb(In_1/2Nb_1/2)O₃–Pb(Mg_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃–PbTiO₃ ceramics

Abstract

36Pb(In_1/2Nb_1/2)O₃–30Pb(Mg_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃–34PbTiO₃ (36PIN–30PMN–34PT) ternary ceramics with morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) composition were fabricated by two-columbite precursor method. The effects of sintering temperature on phase formation, densification and electrical performance of PIN–PMN–PT ceramics were investigated in detail. It was found that the optimized sintering condition was 1240 °C for 5 h. The electric properties of the 36PIN–30PMN–34PT ceramics were dependent on sintering temperature. More importantly, the dielectric and piezoelectric constant increased as the sintering temperature increased. However, the increasing trends between electric properties and the sintering temperature were interrupted when the ceramics were sintered above 1260 °C as a result of PbO vaporization.