Ferroelectric properties of Pb(Zr1/2Ti1/2)O3–Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3 ceramics under compressive stress

Effects of compressive stress on the ferroelectric properties of ceramics in PZT–PZN system were investigated. The ceramics with a formula (1−x)Pb(Zr1/2Ti1/2)O3–xPb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3 or (1−x)PZT–(x)PZN (x = 0.1–0.5) were prepared by a conventional mixed-oxide method. The ferroelectric properties under the compressive stress of the PZT–PZN ceramics were observed at the 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 remnant polarization (Pr), and the coercive field (Ec) decreased. These results were interpreted through the non-180° ferroelastic domain switching processes.