Composite materials with 83 wt.% of the 0.7Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.3PbTiO3 distributed in phosphate-bonded ceramics were prepared at three different pressures. A phosphate matrix comprises a mixture of an aluminum phosphate binder and melted periclase, MgO. All samples demonstrate a homogeneous distribution of the ferroelectric perovskite phase and are thermally stable up to 900 K. At higher temperatures, the pyrochlore cubic phase forms. It has been found that the density of the composites non-monotonously depends on the pressure. The dielectric permittivity and losses substantially increase with the density of the samples. The fabricated composites demonstrate diffused ferroelectric-paraelectric transition and prominent piezoelectric properties.
Keywords: PMN-PT; composites; densification; dielectric properties; ferroelectric properties; phosphates.