Piezoelectric properties of (Pb/sub 1-x/Ba/sub x/)/sub 2/NaNb/sub 5/O/sub 15/ ceramic under pressure along the polarization direction

The authors use x-ray diffraction to study polarization and depolarization under a pressure of 380 MPa in the title ceramic where the value of x falls between 0.1 and 0.6. They establish that the irreversible and reversible changes in the piezomodulus, due to pressure along the direction of polarization, are determined by the phase composition of the ceramic. The greatest irreversible changes in the modulus are observed in the morphotropic region where x lies between 0.33 and 0.43, due to 90/sup 0/ disorientation of the phase domains with polar direction (010), and also to mutual transitions between coexistent phases.