Synthesis of phase-pure Pb(Zn_xMg_1-x)_1/3Nb_2/3O₃ up to x = 0.7 from a single mixture via a soft-mechanochemical route

Phase-pure perovskite Pb(Zn_xMg_1-x)_1/3Nb_2/3O₃ solid solution (PZ_xM_1-xN) is obtained for x ≤ 0.7 by heating a milled stoichiometric mixture of PbO, Mg(OH)₂, Nb₂O₅, and 2ZnCO₃·3Zn(OH)₂·H₂O at 1100°C for 1 h. Percent perovskite (f_p) with respect to total crystalline phase decreases with increasing temperature of subsequent heating then increases to 900°C for the mixtures where x ≤ 0.8 and milled for 3 h. For mixtures with x = 0.9 and x = 1, f_p decreases monotonically. Curie temperature increases almost linearly with increasing x up to x = 0.7. The maximum dielectric constant at 1 kHz is 2×10⁴ and 1.7×10⁴ for the mixture with x = 0.4 and x = 0.7, respectively. The stabilization mechanism of strained perovskite is discussed.