Thermal expansion properties of PMN–PT ceramics

Thermal expansion properties of (1 − x)PMN–xPT ceramics were determined in the temperature range of approximately −150 to +550 °C by dilatometer thermal expansion measurement. We reported the temperature-dependent measurements of the strain, thermal expansion coefficient and the magnitude of polarization (Pd). The anomaly behaviors were observed at Burns temperature (Td). From the experimental data, it appeared that far above the ferroelectric phase transition temperature, up to Td, these materials possessed a local randomly oriented polarization Pd. Various aspects of understanding the polarization behavior and other effects in this ferroelectric system were also examined and discussed.