A R C H I V E S O F M E T A L L U R G Y A N D M A T E R I A L S Volume 58 2013 Issue 4 DOI: 10.2478/amm-2013-0178 D. BRZEZIŃSKA ∗ , R. SKULSKI ∗ , P. WAWRZAŁA ∗ , G. DERCZ ∗∗ THE PROPERTIES OF (Pb 0.97 Ba 0.03 )[(Zr 0.98 Ti 0.02 ) 1-z Sn z ]O 3 CERAMICS WITH 0 < z < 0.08 WŁAŚCIWOŚCI CERAMIKI (Pb 0,97 Ba 0,03 )[(Zr 0,98 Ti 0,02 ) 1-z Sn z ]O 3 O WARTOŚCIACH 0 < z < 0,08 We present the results of obtaining and investigations of (Pb 1−x Ba x )((Zr 1−y Ti y ) 1−z Sn z )O 3 (PBZTS) ceramics with x =const =0.03, y =const=0.02, z =0, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06 and 0.08. Investigated compositions are close to rhombohedral-orthorhombic morphotropic phase boundary. Ceramic samples have been obtained by conventional ceramic technology from oxides PbO, ZrO 2 , TiO 2 , SnO 2 and barium carbonate BaCO 3 . The calcined powders were crushed and next pressed into discs and sintered free sintering (FS) method. For such obtained samples the following investigations have been done: EDS, XRD, microstructure of fractured samples, dielectric measurements, P-Ehysteresis loops investigations at various temperatures. Keywords: PBZT and PBZTS ceramics, phase transitions, dielectric properties Przedstawiono wyniki badań ceramiki (Pb 1−x Ba x )((Zr 1−y Ti y ) 1−z Sn z )O 3 (PBZTS) dla stałych wartości parametrów x =0,03 i y =0,02 oraz z =0, 0,02, 0,04, 0,06 i 0,08. Badane składy PBZTS znajdują się w pobliżu granicy fazowej między fazami o romboedrycznej i ortorombowej deformacji komórek elementarnych. Ceramiczne próbki PBZTS zostały otrzymane z prostych tlenków PbO, ZrO 2 , TiO 2 , SnO 2 i węglanu baru BaCO 3 . Proszki po kalcynacji zostały rozdrobnione, a następnie uformowano z nich wypraski i zagęszczono metodą swobodnego spiekania (FS). Dla otrzymanych próbek PBZT/PBZTS przeprowadzono badania EDS, XRD, badania mikrostruktury przełamów, badania podstawowych właściwości dielektrycznych, badania pętli histerezy w różnych temperaturach. 1. Introduction Lead containing perovskite-type oxides are very impor- tant for practical applications. Very good electromechanical properties of such materials are connected with the big ampli- tude of vibrations of the heaviest Pb-ion. [1, 2]. The properties of such ceramics depend on conditions of obtaining. (i.e. the methods of synthesis, purity of starting components, the de- gree of granulation, densification etc.) [3, 4]. First system- atic investigations of (Pb 1−x Ba x )(Zr 1−y Ti y )O 3 solid solution (PBZT) were described in [5]. The phase diagram and another properties of PBZT were presented in works [5-8]. Below we describe a solid solution of (Pb 0.97 Ba 0.03 )(Zr 0.98 Ti 0.02 )O 3 with PbSnO 3 (Tab. 1). This composition is close to the boundary between orthorhombic and rhombohedral phases. TABLE 1 The chemical compositions of investigated (Pb 0.97 Ba 0.03 )[(Zr 0.98 Ti 0.02 ) 1−z Sn z ]O 3 ceramics (the assumed values) Chemical compositions: (Pb 0.97 Ba 0.03 )(Zr 0.98 Ti 0.02 )O 3 (Pb 0.97 Ba 0.03 )[(Zr 0.98 Ti 0.02 ) 0.98 Sn 0.02 ]O 3 = (Pb 0.97 Ba 0.03 )(Zr 0.96 Ti 0.02 Sn 0.02 )O 3 (Pb 0.97 Ba 0.03 )[(Zr 0.98 Ti 0.02 ) 0.96 Sn 0.04 ]O 3 = (Pb 0.97 Ba 0.03 )(Zr 0.94 Ti 0.02 Sn 0.04 )O 3 (Pb 0.97 Ba 0.03 )[(Zr 0.98 Ti 0.02 ) 0.94 Sn 0.06 ]O 3 = (Pb 0.97 Ba 0.03 )(Zr 0.921 Ti 0.019 Sn 0.06 )O 3 (Pb 0.97 Ba 0.03 )[(Zr 0.98 Ti 0.02 ) 0.92 Sn 0.08 ]O 3 = (Pb 0.97 Ba 0.03 )(Zr 0.902 Ti 0.018 Sn 0.08 )O 3 ∗ UNIVERSITY OF SILESIA, FACULTY OF COMPUTER SCIENCE AND MATERIALS SCIENCE, MATERIALS SCIENCE DEPARTMENT, 2 ŚNIEŻNA STR., 41-200 SOSNOWIEC, POLAND ∗∗ INSTITUTE OF MATERIALS SCIENCE, 75 PUŁKU PIECHOTY 1A STR., 41-500 CHORZÓW, POLAND