On the feasibility of synthesizing complex perovskite ferroelectric ceramics via a B-site oxide mixing route

Several relaxor-based complex perovskite ferroelectric ceramics were synthesized by conventional solid-state reaction method via different routes, i.e., the B-site oxide mixing route, the straight calcination method and the columbite/wolframite precursor method. Structure analysis and physical properties measurements prove that the B-site oxide mixing route is efficient and feasible in the synthesizing of complex perovskite ferroelectrics since such a technique is superior in suppressing pyrochlore phases, stabilizing the perovskite structure, and improving the amount of perovskite phase as compared to the straight calcination method and the columbite/wolframite precursor method. The dielectric properties are improved correspondingly, namely exhibiting the largest value of dielectric maximum, the sharpest dielectric response peaks and the least frequency dispersion of dielectric properties in the ferroelectric ceramics prepared via the B-site oxide mixing route, which is considered as correlating with the amount of pyrochlore phases, ceramic density, grain size, and microstructure morphology of the ceramics synthesized.