Nanosized (1 - x)Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O-3-xBaTiO(3) (PZN-BT, x = 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20, 0.25, and 0.30) powders were synthesized directly from their corresponding oxide mixture via a high-energy ball milling process. Almost single phase was achieved in the composition range of PZN-BT. The grain size estimated from SEM observation was about 50 run, being in good agreement with that (20 nm) calculated from XRD patterns. PZN-BT ceramics were also obtained by sintering the synthesized powders at 1050degreesC for I h. The grain size of the final ceramics decreases from 4.5 to 1.2 mum as BT content increases from 0.05 to 0.30. The properties, such as microstructure, lattice constant, phase composition, dielectric constant as a function of composition of the PZN-BT ceramics, were investigated and discussed. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.