Large electrostrain at high temperature in bismuth sodium titanate-based piezoelectric ceramics

Abstract

(1-x)[0.82Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3-0.18Bi0.5K0.5TiO3]-xAgNbO3 ceramics (abbreviated as BNKT-100xAN, x = 0–0.06) are fabricated by the solid state reaction method. It is discovered that silver niobate is completely dissolved into the lattice of 0.82Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3-0.18Bi0.5K0.5TiO3 ceramics based on characterization. The relaxation mechanism and characteristics of BNKT-100xAN ceramics are analyzed by dielectric temperature spectra and AC impedance spectra. The content of ordered domains and PNRs of BNKT-4AN ceramics is optimum, which enables it possess excellent electrostrain of 0.51%. The electrostrain almost remain constant after the 104 cycles test, suggesting that it also has great fatigue resistance. After polarization at high temperature, large electrostrain of 1.4% and inverse piezoelectric constants of 2004 pm/V are obtained at 150 °C in BNKT-4AN ceramics. The ultrahigh electrostrain is mainly promoted by the larger polarizability of the <111>-oriented and <001>-oriented defect dipoles, the same direction of defect dipoles and the spontaneous polarization direction of phase, the pinning effects of the defect dipoles on the PNRs and the collinear arrangement of the PNRs. This work indicates that lead-free piezoelectric ceramics is hopeful to be applied in piezoelectrics working at high temperature. Simultaneously, a new design paradigm also is provided for the preparation of piezoelectric ceramics with excellent performance.