Hongtao Zhang et al 2009 Nanotechnology 20 385708 doi:10.1088/0957-4484/20/38/385708
Hongtao Zhang1, Haixue Yan1,2, Huanpo Ning1,2, Michael J Reece1,2, Mirva Eriksson3, Zhijian Shen3, Yanmei Kan4 and Peiling Wang4
Show affiliationsAurivillius phase, bismuth layer structured ferroelectric Bi3.15Nd0.85Ti3O12 (BNdT) ceramics with average grain sizes from 90 nm and high densities (>97%) were fabricated by spark plasma sintering. Decreasing grain size produced a diffuse ferro–paraelectric phase transition and a decrease in the Curie point. Compared with BNdT ceramics with grain sizes of micrometre scale, nanograined BNdT ceramics exhibit a depression of the dielectric maximum at the Curie point, enhanced dielectric constant from room temperature to 350 °C and dramatically decreased losses. Although ferroelectric switching was greatly inhibited in nanograined ceramics, both ferroelectric and piezoelectric measurements still clearly showed that BNdT ceramics with 90 nm average grain sizes are ferroelectrically switchable. This is the first reported evidence that nanoscale Aurivillius phase ceramics are ferroelectrically active.
77.84.Dy Niobates, titanates, tantalates, PZT ceramics, etc.
61.46.-w Structure of nanoscale materials
77.80.Bh Phase transitions and Curie point
Issue 38 (23 September 2009)
Received 16 June 2009, in final form 10 August 2009
Published 28 August 2009
Hongtao Zhang et al 2009 Nanotechnology 20 385708
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