Structural and electrical properties of Nb5+ substituted PZT ceramics

The effect of niobium doping on the structure and electrical properties with the following compositions Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)(1-5X)/4Nb(X)O(3) with 0 < x < 0.025 was investigated. The materials were prepared by the usual ceramic technique using high purity raw materials. Disc-shaped samples of each compositions were sintered at 1250 degrees C for 3 hours. The sample structure was determined by X-ray diffractometry. The average grain size. the maximum dielectric permittivity and the remnant polarization first increases up to x = 0.005 concentration of Nb5+ and then decreases with higher concentration of niobium, while the coercive field does not show any variation. The transition temperature decreases with the increase in niobium concentration.