Abstract

Background: Compositionally modified Pb(Zr_0.95Ti_0.05)O₃ (PZT 95/5) ferroelectric materials have been extensively investigated in past decades for many important applications. However, few study on pure PZT95/5 ceramics have been reported.

Objective: Herein, pure PZT95/5 ceramics were successfully prepared, and their microstructure and phase transition behaviors under external fields were studied.

Methods: The pure PZT95/5 ceramics were prepared by the conventional solid state reaction using a mixed oxide route. The microstructure and its properties under different external fields were measured.

Results: The X-ray diffraction patterns indicated that the virgin pure PZT95/5 ceramics exhibit an orthorhombic antiferroelectric phase, which has also been evidenced by the superlattice reflections in the SAED pattern. While a rhombohedral ferroelectric symmetry crystal structure was observed in the poled samples suggesting that an electric field induced antiferroelectric to ferroelectric phase transition takes place. Pure PZT95/5 ceramics exhibit a quenched ferroelectric hysteresis loop with a remnant polarization of ~8μC/cm² under 3.5kV/mm. Temperature dependence dielectric response indicated that the orthorhombic antiferroelectric to cubic paraelectric phase transition occurs at 225°C, corresponding to its Curie temperature. A shard depolarization behavior and dielectric anomalies were observed under ~240 MPa hydrostatic pressure.

Conclusion: The depolarization mechanism of pure PZT95/5 ceramics under hydrostatic pressure is attributed to the hydrostatic pressure-induced FE-AFE phase transition. These results will offer fundamental insights into PZT95/5 ceramics for pulsed power supply applications.

Keywords: PZT95/5, antiferroelectric, phase transition, pulsed power supply, depolarization behavior, hydrostatic pressure.