Evolution of dielectric properties in BaZrxTi1−xO3 ceramics: Effect of polar nano-regions

BaZrxTi1−xO3 (x = 0.2, 0.25, 0.3) ceramics were prepared by a citrate method. The ferroelectric phase transition behavior and bias electric-field-induced dielectric nonlinearity of the ceramics were investigated. With increasing zirconium content, the phase transition behavior of the ceramics changed from a diffusion phase transition to relaxor-like behavior. Applying bias electric field in diverse manners led to differing effects on the dielectric nonlinearity, depending on the zirconium content of the ceramics. These dielectric phenomena were related to the polarization response of polar nano-regions (PNRs) embedded in the ceramics, which are macroscopically in the paraelectric state at room temperature. The characteristic parameters of PNRs were determined by fitting the dielectric constants under bias electric field to a multipolarization mechanism model. It was found that the size of PNRs was decreased with increasing zirconium content. The evolution of the phase transition behavior and dielectric nonlinearity with zirconium content was interpreted in relation to the size change of PNRs.