Bi(Mg1/2Zr1/2)O3–PbZrO3–PbTiO3 relaxor ferroelectric ceramics with large and temperature-insensitive electric field-induced strain response

Ferroelectric ceramic materials with large and temperature-insensitive strain responses are highly desired for the practical application of actuators in harsh environmental conditions. In this work, novel xBi(Mg1/2Zr1/2)O3–(0.55 − x)PbZrO3–0.45PbTiO3 (xBMZ-PZ-0.45PT) ternary ferroelectric ceramics were successfully fabricated by a solid-state reaction process. The phase structure of xBMZ-PZ-0.45PT ceramics gradually evolves from rhombohedral-tetragonal coexistence phases to rhombohedral phase with an increase in the BMZ content and the diffuse phase transition behavior becomes increasingly evident. The relaxation behavior is strongest for x = 0.35 composition. Pmax and Pr values first gradually increased, and then gradually decreased with increasing BMZ content, while Ec values display an increasing trend. A large strain response of 0.33% at 5 kV mm−1 was obtained in this ternary ferroelectric ceramics with x = 0.35, which can be attributed to the electric field-induced reversible ergodic relaxation phase to the ferroelectric phase transition. The strain was simultaneously temperature-insensitive with a slight decrease from 0.33% at 30 °C to 0.32% at 150 °C. The results indicate that BMZ-PZ-PT ternary ferroelectric ceramics are promising candidate materials for actuator applications in harsh environmental conditions.