Structure and electrical properties of 0.07Pb(Mn1/3Sb2/3)O3-(0.93-X)BiScO3-xPbTiO3 piezoelectric ceramics

A ternary piezoelectric ceramic series of 0.07Pb(Mn_1/3Sb_2/3)O₃-(0.93-x)BiScO₃-xPbTiO₃ (PMS-BS-xPT, x=0.52~0.72) were synthesized by conventional solid-state method. The phase, microstructure, dielectric, piezoelectric and ferroelectric properties were studied. X-ray diffraction (XRD) shows a change in symmetry from rhombohedral to tetragonal phase at the composition of x=0.6. And the increase in c/a ratio with PbTiO₃ (PT) content was observed. Dielectric studies reveal that PMS modification suppressed the Curie temperature (T_c) of the ceramics. Sample with 0.6 mol of PT concentration presents a remarkable decrease in dielectric loss tanδ and a significant increase in mechanical quality factor (Q_m), indicating that doping of PMS improves the “hard” piezoelectric characteristics of the ceramics. The polarization-electric field (P-E) loops presented pinched shapes at low electric fields and the distortions disappeared at high electric fields. The maximal Q_m of 1291 and highest T_c of 415°C were obtained at the optimized composition of x=0.72.