Report n. 2 - Research project: "Origin of relaxor behaviour in Ba-based lead-free perovskites" - Preparation of ceramics of BaTiO3, BaZr0.40Ti0.60O3 and niobium-doped BaTiO3 with composition Ba(Ti1-x?x/4Nbx)O3, x = 0.025, 0.05, 0.07, 0.10, 0.15

According to the working programme, the Institute of Condensed Matter Chemistry and Technologies for Energy (CNR-ICMATE, former CNR-IENI), Genoa, Italy, is in charge of the production (preparation and characterisation) of several BaTiO3-based ceramics for the WP1 "Production of Ba-based ceramic compositions" within the Project "Origin of relaxor behaviour in Ba-based lead-free perovskites". As for some of the samples, measured by other Project partners, unusual behaviour was observed, here we report on the results on the work performed to solve the problems reported following ferroelectric hysteresis measurements. In some cases, beside structural/microstructural characterisation, dielectric measurements were performed, to verify the effect of thermal treatments on the sample properties.