Piezoelectric materials, which convert mechanical energy into electrical signals, are widely used in various industrial applications such as sensors, actuators, and energy harvesting devices. This study aims to enhance the performance of Pb(Mg_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃-Pb(Al_1/2Nb_1/2)O₃-Pb(Zr_0.52Ti_0.48)O₃ (PMN-PAN-PZT) piezoelectric ceramics by investigating the effects of varying PAN and PMN content and adding Nb₂O₅ on their piezoelectric properties. The results show that with 2 mol% of PMN and PAN, the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) region exhibits the highest piezoelectric properties. Additionally, excess Nb₂O₅ positively influenced the piezoelectric properties, maximizing electro-mechanical coupling factor (k_p=63%, d₃₃=440 pC/N). These findings contribute to developing next-generation high-performance piezoelectric materials, with potential for improved efficiency and performance in various industries.

Ferroelectric material properties are strongly governed by domain structures and their evolution processes, but the evolution processes of complex domain patterns during a macroscopic electrical poling process are still elusive. In the present work, domain-evolution processes in a PZT ceramic near the morphotropic phase-boundary composition were studied during a step-wise electrical poling using piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM). Electron backscatter diffraction was used with the PFM data to identify the grain boundaries in the region of interest. In response to an externally the applied electric field, growth and retreat of non-180° domain boundaries wasere observed. The results indicate that ferroelectric polarization-switching nucleates and evolves in concordance with the pattern of the pre-existing domains.