Phase transitions and dielectric properties in Bi(Zn1/2Ti1/2)O3−BaTiO3 perovskite solid solutions

( 1 − x ) Bi ( Zn 1 / 2 Ti 1 / 2 ) O 3 − x BaTiO 3 polycrystalline ceramics were obtained via solid state processing techniques. The perovskite structure was found to be stable for compositions containing x=0.66 or greater. Based on x-ray diffraction data, a morphotropic phase boundary between tetragonal and rhombohedral perovskite phases was observed at x≈0.9. For compositions rich in BaTiO3, the symmetry of the perovskite phase was tetragonal but with increased Bi(Zn1/2Ti1/2)O3 content, the rhombohedral phase appeared. Dielectric characterization revealed that as Bi(Zn1/2Ti1/2)O3 content increased, the transition temperature decreased and the transition peak became very diffused. A comparison of the dielectric behavior with other Bi(Zn1/2Ti1/2)O3-based solid solutions is also discussed.