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(Zr1/2Ti1/2)O3(xPb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3 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 (Psat), the remanent polarization (Pr), and the coercive field (Ec) decreased. These results were interpreted through the non-180° ferroelectric domain switching processes.