PHASE STRUCTURE, MICROSTRUCTURE AND DIELECTRICS PROPERTIES OF NEW CERAMIC MATERIAL NEAR THE MORPHOTROPIC PHASE BOUNDARY

ABSTRACTThis article investigates the sintering temperature effect on microstructure and dielectric properties of a new ceramic material :Pb0.96Sm0.02Nd0.02[(Zr0.55Ti0.45)1-2x,x(Y2/3 Mo1/3),x( Y2/3Ni1/3)]O3 of perovskite structure , such that x ={0.01,0.03,0.05,0.07,0.1}. In order to study well this system and delimiting the composition close to the morphotropic phaseboundary (FMB) in which the tetragonal and rhombohedral phases coexist, we varied the dopants ratio for that variouscompositions were prepared by conventional solid state process. A thermal treatment was applied to these compositions atdifferent temperatures (1100, 1150, 1180°C), in order to optimize the sintering temperature where the density of ceramics ismaximum. We present the preparation and the different stages of the formation of the solid solution. Then we will detail thedifferent techniques of analysis applied to this compound, we begin first by x-ray diffraction, in the following, analysis byscanning electron microscopy (SEM) and finally the study of physical properties (dielectrics). These studies help us toaccumulate as much information on these materials.KEYWORDS: Ceramic; Microstructure; dielectrics