Bridgman growth and thermal analysis of Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–PbTiO3 single crystals

Relaxor ferroelectric-based Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–32PbTiO3 (PMN–32PT) single crystal growth and thermal analysis were reported. The as-grown PMN–32PT crystal was determined by XRD to be a single phase with rhombohedral structure at room temperature. The Curie temperature was in the range of 137–146 °C with ferroelectric rhombohedral to tetrahedral phase transition temperature of 92–118 °C. The piezoelectric coefficients were about 2000 pC/N with longitude electromechanical coupling factors about 0.93. DSC/TGA analysis of the as-grown PMN–32PT crystal indicated that the melting point of PMN–32PT was 1302.1 °C in sealed condition while reduced to 1282.9 °C in open system due to the evaporation of PbO and the transformation into pyrochlore phases.