Grain-orientation-engineered multilayer NaSr2Nb5O15 ferroelectric ceramics via templated grain growth

It is difficult to take both texture degree and density into account by the conventional method, especially when one-dimensional particles are used as templates to prepare textured ferroelectric ceramics. Here, we proposed a strategy to improve the texture degree and density of ceramics simultaneously by a grain-orientation-engineered technique. To solve the problem of directional arrangement of template particles, template layers without mixed matrix were prepared by the brushing technique. Dense textured NaSr2Nb5O15 ceramics with grain size gradient distribution were designed by the lamination of template and matrix layers. An evaluation method of texture degree was developed. Ferroelastic and ferroelectric domains were observed simultaneously in the oriented grains, which was further confirmed that the ferroelectric-ferroelastic phase transition occurred for the NaSr2Nb5O15 ceramics at the low temperature. The obtained textured NaSr2Nb5O15 ceramics exhibited the high piezoelectric constant (d33 =134 pC/N). The present research offers a route for designing grain-oriented ferro-electric ceramics.