Phase transitions of (1−x) PbZrO₃ + x (Na_1/2Bi_1/2)TiO₃ (0.01 ≤ x ≤ 0.15) solid solutions

Morphotropic phase boundaries and temperature dependent phase transitions of (1 – x) PbZrO₃ + x (Na_1/2Bi_1/2)TiO₃ (0.01 ≤ x ≤ 0.15) solid solutions were investigated by x-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and dielectric property analysis. Two morphotropic phase transitions at room temperature were found at x = 0.1 and 0.13, which were from antiferroelectric orthorhombic (with 4 × 4 × 2 superlattice [orthorhombic (I)]) to antiferroelectric orthorhombic (with 2 × 2 × 2 superlattice [orthorhombic (II)]) and from orthorhombic (II) to ferroelectric rhombohedral, respectively. With increasing temperature, the samples with 0.01 ≤ x < 0.1 showed two phase transitions, i.e., from orthorhombic (I) to orthorhombic (II) and from orthorhombic (II) to cubic. The other samples had only one phase transition with increasing temperature. Phase transition temperatures of all the samples were measured using DSC, and a phase diagram for the solid solutions was constructed. A model illustrating the antiparallel shift of Pb ions in the orthorhombic (II) phase was also proposed.