N. UdomkanP. LimsuwanP. WinotaiT. TunkasiriKing Mongkuts University of Technology ThonburiMahidol UniversityChiang Mai University2018-08-202018-08-202006-08-20International Journal of Modern Physics B. Vol.20, No.21 (2006), 3071-3080021797922-s2.0-33747840916https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/23917The purpose of this research is to investigate the structure of lead zirconate titanate ceramics (Zr:Ti = 52:48) when doped with Pr2O3and the corresponding properties such as micro-structural properties, physical properties, dielectric constant (εr), piezo-electric properties (kp, Qm, and d33), and the ferroelectric property. The materials were prepared via conventional mixed oxide method and sintered at 1200°C. The Rietveld refinement of X-ray diffraction patterns and combination of both patterns revealed the tetragonal structure for all samples to have space group of P4mm. For higher dopant content (10 mol%), the pyrochlore phase of Pr2O3also appeared in the respective samples. These pyrochlore phases caused the detriment of dielectric and piezoelectric properties. For those with lower dopant content (1.00 mol%), the Pr ion substituted at the A and B sites with isovalent dopant effects, i.e. a lower value of εr, and kp. The hysteresis loops indicated the ferroelectric property for all samples. The microstructure showed dense grain according to a high density and the additional phases of Pr2O3were clearly observed for 10 mol% doping. The Curie temperature decreased with increasing dopant content, as determined from high temperature X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry. © World Scientific Publishing Company.Mahidol UniversityPhysics and AstronomyArticleSCOPUS10.1142/S0217979206034972