Microwave processing is an attractive approach for the production of materials with improved properties, using fast heating curves. In this work, SrBi2Ta2O9 samples were obtained by the mixture of oxides (Bi2O3, Ta2O5 and SrCO3). The microstructural evolution during microwave sintering was investigated by scanning electron microscopy in association with energy dispersion spectroscopy and with the support of an X-ray diffraction analyzer. Frequency response analysis was used to obtain the electric curves and a synthesizer/function generator, in combination with a high voltage amplifier, to obtain the ferroelectric hysteresis measurements. Results show that microwave process proved to be a good alternative to the conventional process to obtain suitable ferroelectric properties. Furthermore, in strontium bismuth tantalate samples sintered at 1200 o C by microwave processing, a berlincourt d33 lineal piezoelectric coefficient of 5 pC/N, a remnant polarization Pr of 4 mC/cm-2 and a coercive field Ec of 2.6 kV/mm were achieved.

Keywords: Microwave, Sintering, Ferroelectric, Oxides, Strontium bismuth tantalate.