Correlation between microstructural evolutions and electrical/mechanical behaviors in Nb/Ce co-doped Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 ceramics at different sintering temperatures

For Nb/Ce co-doped Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O-3 ceramics {pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)(0.95)Nb0.005O3 + 0.2 wt.%CeO2} sintered between 1150 degrees C and 1250 degrees C, with-increasing sintering temperatures, a gradual lattice distortion associated with an increased grain size are identified. Electrical test reveals that the ceramics exhibit a diffused phase transition, and the intensity of permittivity peaks increase with increase in sintering temperatures. The samples sintered at higher temperatures present a stronger piezoelectric property because of a larger grain size. While the mechanical test demonstrates that the samples sintered at lower temperatures exhibited a higher hardness because of a smaller grain size. Both the second crack and crack deflection are observed in the sample sintered at 1200 degrees C. The domain switching caused by a compression load contributes to the nonlinear ferroelastic deformation of ceramics. At last, the sample sintered at 1125 degrees C gains some good properties such as: T-c = 312 degrees C; d(33) = 443 pC/N; K-IC = 0.66 MPa m(1/2) and sigma(c), = 430 MPa. (C) 2017 Published by Elsevier Ltd.