Ferroelectric-ferroelectric phase coexistence in Na1/2Bi1/2TiO3

Rao, Badari Narayana and Fitch, Andy N and Ranjan, Rajeev (2013) Ferroelectric-ferroelectric phase coexistence in Na1/2Bi1/2TiO3. In: PHYSICAL REVIEW B, 87 (6).

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Abstract

Morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) systems are characterized by the coexistence of two ferroelectric phases and are associated with anomalous piezoelectric properties. In general, such coexistence is brought about by composition induced ferroelectric-ferroelectric instability. Here we demonstrate that a pure ferroelectric compound Na1/2Bi1/2TiO3 (NBT) exhibits the coexistence of two ferroelectric phases, rhombohedral (R3c) and monoclinic (Cc), in its equilibrium state at room temperature. This was unravelled by adopting a unique strategy of comparative structural analysis of electrically poled and thermally annealed specimens using high resolution synchrotron x-ray powder diffraction data. The relative fraction of the coexisting phases was found to be highly sensitive to thermal, mechanical, and electrical stimuli. The coexistence of ferroelectric phases in the ground state of the pure compound will have significant bearing on the way MPB is induced in NBT-based lead-free piezoceramics. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.87.060102

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	PHYSICAL REVIEW B
Publisher:	AMER PHYSICAL SOC
Additional Information:	Copyright for this article belongs to AMER PHYSICAL SOC, USA
Department/Centre:	Division of Mechanical Sciences > Materials Engineering (formerly Metallurgy)
Date Deposited:	18 Mar 2013 05:35
Last Modified:	18 Mar 2013 05:35
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/46064

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