Clarification on phase transition behaviors by local strain engineering in Bi1/2Na1/2TiO3–SrTiO3-based ternary ceramics

Abstract

The stabilization of ergodicity plays an important role in realizing large strain in a Bi1/2Na1/2TiO3 (BNT)-based relaxor, which is strongly related to the degree of random fields with respect to the randomly distributed different cations. To clarify the effects of different ionic radii, this study investigated and compared the microstructures, crystal structures, phase transition behaviors, and electrical properties of BNT–ST-based ternary ceramics by modifying BiMeO3 (where Me = Al and Fe). It was observed that the stabilized relaxor states are different between BiFeO3-/and BiAlO3-modified BNT–ST ternary ceramics. As a result, it is suggested that phase transition (more precisely, the stabilization of ergodicity) can be influenced by the different internal strain in BNT–ST-based ternary ceramics.