Bhattacharya, Prodipta (2005) Solid state NMR studies of ferroelectric relaxor materials. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

Multi-nuclear solid state nuclear magnetic resonance has been used to investigate the local atomic structure of the relaxor ferroelectric materials, lead magnesium niobate titanate (PMN-PT) and sodium potassium bismuth titanate (NKBT). In addition to these two series of materials, numerous precursor and model niobate compounds have also been analysed in order to gain a insight into the structures and phases present in these materials.

The PMN-PT series was investigated using 93Nb, 207Pb and 170 NMR techniques. A total of 14 PMN-PT samples, from pure PMN to PMN-90PT, were investigated in order to fully understand the transitions taking place over the entire compositional range. 9~b proved to be the most informative nucleus, owing to its high sensitivity to the changes occurring at the B-site of the perovskite structure. We discovered three distinct niobium environments. We then proposed a new randomsite random-layer model explaining the distribution of the cations among two different layers ß' and ß". The high level of correlation between the theoretical predictions and the experimental results suggests that there are actually two different ways that PMN-PT behaves, one for titanium concentrations less than 25% and the other for concentrations over 25%. This was also clearly visible in our PMN-PT spectra, as a sharp line present in titanium concentrations below 25%, that disappears in the concentrations above 25%. We have also tied in our results with the existing literature on PMN-PT to identify possible links to the dielectric response and phase transitions in the material.

NKBT was investigated using both 23Na and 39K MAS NMR techniques. The 23Na data proved most informative and results were obtained at different fields and different spinning speeds. We were then able to extract calculated isotropic chemical shift values and quadrupolar parameters to understand the subtle changes taking place. The preliminary results hint that there are some interesting changes taking place around the morphotropic phase boundary in the material.

Item Type:	Thesis or Dissertation (PhD)
Subjects:	Q Science > QC Physics
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Nuclear magnetic resonance, Ferroelectric crystals -- Properties
Official Date:	October 2005
Dates:	Date Event October 2005 Submitted
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	Department of Physics
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Supervisor(s)/Advisor:	Smith, Mark E.
Extent:	xiv, 192 leaves
Language:	eng

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