Effect of sintering temperature on the electromechanical properties of 0.945Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3-0.055BaZrO3 ceramics

In this work, lead-free 0.945B0.5N0.5TiO3-0.055BaZrO3 (BNT-BZ) ceramics were synthesized by using conventional solid-state reaction method and the effect of different sintering temperatures (1145–1200 °C) on its structure and electromechanical properties were investigated. XRD patterns revealed single a phase-perovskite structure for all samples sintered at different temperatures. An optimum sintering temperature enhanced densification, promoted grain growth, and improve the dielectric and piezoelectric properties. However, at low (1145 °C) and high (1200 °C) sintering temperatures, the BNT-BZ ceramics showed inferior electromechanical properties. BNT-BZ ceramics sintered at an optimum temperature (1175 °C) showed an enhanced strain (0.39%) response at an applied electric field of 7 kV/mm with a high dynamic piezoelectric coefficient (d33* = 557 pm/V). These results can be attributed to the high density of the BNT-BZ ceramics sintered at 1175 °C.