Effects of yttrium substitution on structural and electrical properties of barium zirconate titanate ferroelectric ceramics

•Yttrium substituted BZT specimens have been synthesized using SSR technique.•The composition showed enhanced properties with 2 mol% of yttrium.•Formation of secondary phases has been explained with the help of defect equation.

In the present study, structural, dielectric and ferroelectric properties of Ba1−3x/2Yx Zr0.025Ti0.975O3 ferroelectric ceramics have been investigated. The compound was synthesized using solid state reaction technique. The effect of yttrium substitution on structural, dielectric and ferroelectric properties was studied using X-ray diffractometer, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), LCR meter and P–E loops. Phase analysis shows the formation of secondary phase YTi2O6 for Y ≥ 2.5 mol% substitution. The microstructural investigation shows that Y substitution significantly reduces the grain size. An increase in Y content up to 2.5 mol% increases the Curie temperature (Tc) initially but decreases subsequently. The maximum dielectric constant at Tc has been observed for 2 mol% Y substitution and with further increase in Y content the dielectric constant decreases considerably. The solubility limit is found to be 2.5 mol% of Y and after that some of the yttrium atoms enter B-sites and leading to the formation of the secondary phase. The P–E loop studies show that there is an increase in the coercive field with increasing Y content.