Enhanced piezoelectric performance of (0.98-x)Bi(Sc3/4In1/4)O3-xPbTiO3-0.02Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3 ternary high temperature piezoelectric ceramics

(0.98-x)Bi(Sc3/4In1/4)O-3-xPbTiO(3)-0.02Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O-3 (BSI-PT-PZN) high temperature piezoelectric ceramics were prepared by traditional solid-state reaction method. Combining X-ray diffraction results with piezoelectric data, it was found that the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) occurred at x = 0.575. The piezoelectric constant d(33), curie temperature T-c, and electromechanical coupling factor k(p) of BIS-PT-PZN ceramics with MPB composition were 427 pC/N, 412 degrees C, and 0.51, respectively. Furthermore, the strain of BIS-PT-PZN ceramics reached up to 0.25% under the electric field of 40 kV/cm. Temperature-dependent electromechanical coupling coefficient for MPB composition was stable from room temperature up to 350 degrees C. The piezoelectric properties of BIS-PT-PZN ceramics were comparable to that of 0.36BiScO(3)-0.64PbTiO(3) (BS-PT) ceramics, and the piezoelectric constant d(33) of BIS-PT-PZN ceramics was about twice that of our previous reported 0.4Bi(Sc3/4In1/4)O-3-0.6PbTiO(3) (BSI-PT) ceramics. The reduction in the expensive Sc2O3 content and comparable piezoelectric properties with BS-PT ceramics indicated that BIS-PT-PZN ceramics were promising for commercial applications as high temperature actuators and sensors. (C) 2013 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4799735]