Technology and Properties of PBZTS Ceramics Ryszard Skulski,* Dariusz Bochenek, Pawel Wawrzala, Grzegorz Dercz, and Dagmara Brzezin ´ska Faculty of Computer Science and Materials Science, University of Silesia, 2, S ´ niez ˙na St., Sosnowiec 41-200, Poland This paper presents the results of preparing and investigating the solid solution of lead barium zirconate titanate stannate (Pb 1Àx Ba x )[(Zr 1Ày Ti y ) 1Àz Sn z ]O 3 with x = 0.25, y = 0.35 and z = 0.00, 0.02, 0.04, 0.08, 0.10. Ceramic samples were obtained from oxides and carbonates using conventional ceramic technology and pressureless sintering. The results of Energy- dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) investigations, XRD studies, as well as dielectric measurements and electromechanical investigations are presented. It was stated that at the room temperature, the structure of the investigated samples is pseudo- cubic, typical for relaxors. Maximal value of elementary cell parameter is observed for z = 0.02, and for higher values of z, we observe almost linear decrease with increasing z. It was found that with increasing content of the Sn, the temperature T m at which dielectric permittivity reaches its maximum decreases. Analyzing P-E hysteresis loops it was stated that the phase transition in the investigated samples takes place at temperatures approximately 100°C lower than the temperature of the dielectric permittivity maximum. The temperature of phase transition was calculated also from hysteresis loops and compared with that obtained from measurements of dielectric permittivity. Introduction The investigated lead barium zirconate titanate stannate (PBZTS) is based on the well-known solid solution (Pb 1Àx Ba x )(Zr 1Ày Ti y )O 3 (PBZT). The technol- ogy for PBZT was first described in, 1 whereas the phase diagram of PBZT was presented in reference. 2 For y = 0.35, PBZT with x = 0.25–0.35 exhibits relaxor properties. 3–5 The main properties of ferroelectric relax- ors are as follows: (i) diffused dielectric permittivity maximum versus temperature; (ii) dependence of tem- perature T m on frequency; (iii) very narrow P-E hyster- esis loop and very slow decrease in the hysteresis loop with increasing temperature; (iv) phase transition can- not be observed on the macroscopic scale. Sometimes, an additional maximum of dielectric permittivity is also observed below T m (for example 6–9 ). *ryszard.skulski@us.edu.pl © 2012 American Ceramic Society Int. J. Appl. Ceram. Technol., 1–9 (2012) DOI:10.1111/j.1744-7402.2011.02744.x