Synthesis, sintering and characterization of PNZST ceramics from high-energy ball milling process

Pb0.99Nb0.02[(Zr0.60Sn0.40)0.94Ti0.06]0.98O3 powders were synthesized from oxide mixtures of Pb3O4, Nb2O5, ZrO2, SnO2, and TiO2 using a Fritsch P4™ vario-planetary ball milling system. The perovskite structure of PNZST powder can be obtained well after 14 h milling and crystallite size of the powders greatly reduced to 20–30 nm. The resultant powders have better sinterability characteristics to obtain dense ceramic bodies at low temperature. The dielectric constant of samples shows a maximum at 1150 °C and the PEMC to PESC transformation temperature shifts to higher temperature with an increase in grain size. The field-induced strain reaches maximum longitudinal strain of 0.32% and the P–E hysteresis loop shows much higher squareness at 1150 and 1200 °C. The measured dielectric and antiferroelectric properties of the PNZST ceramics were found to be comparable to those from other processing techniques.