Thermophysical study of structural phase transitions in Na0.95Li0.05NbO3 solid solution

Abstract

Temperature dependences of specific heat Cp(T) and coefficient of thermal expansion ;(T) for Na0.95Li0.05NbO3 sodium-lithium niobate ceramic samples are investigated in the temperature range of 100–800 K. The Cp(T) and α(T) anomalies at T3 = 310 ± 3 K, T2 = 630 ± 8 K, and T1 = 710 ± 10 K are observed, which correspond to the sequence of phase transitions N ↔ Q ↔ S(R) ↔ T2(S). The effect of heat treatment of the samples on the sequence of structural distortions was established. It is demonstrated that annealing of the samples at 603 K leads to splitting of the anomaly corresponding to the phase transition Q → R/S in two anomalies. After sample heating to 800 K, the only anomaly is observed in both the Cp(T) and ;(T) dependence. Possible mechanisms of the observed phenomena are discussed.