Brennecka, GeoffreyPrevoznak, Benjamin D.2024-07-112024-07-112023https://hdl.handle.net/11124/179135Includes bibliographical references.2023 Fall.Lead zirconate titanate is a ceramic piezoelectric frequently manufactured with porosity engineered to situationally tune elastic modulus, relative permittivity, and phase transition pressure and/or field. In our case we engineer a 92 % dense ceramic of the formulation Pb0.99(Zr0.95Ti0.05)0.98Nb0.02O3 (PNZT 2/95/5) using micro-crystalline cellulose. However, inducing porosity can be detrimental to dielectric breakdown strength, mechanical strength, and fracture toughness. In our study we explore how adding MgO as nanoparticles as well as micron sized powder, a hypothesized method of toughening the material, affects electrical properties poling behavior, piezoelectric constant, and relative permittivity. Our limited mechanical data is consistent with fracture toughness increases seen in literature with MgO second phases. However, MgO addition decreased the remanent polarization, piezoelectric constant, and relative permittivity, while increasing the coercive field.born digitalmasters thesesengCopyright of the original work is retained by the author.ferroelectricPZTtoughnessText2024-06-25