Effect of B-site substitution by (Ni1/3Nb2/3) for Ti on microstructure and piezoelectric properties in (Bi1/2Na1/2)TiO3 piezoelectric ceramics

• Published in: Journal of alloys and compounds Vol. 466; no. 1-2; pp. 563 - 567
• Main Authors: Zhou, C R, Liu, X Y
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 20.10.2008
• ISSN: 0925-8388
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2007.11.094

To develop new (Bi1/2Na1/2)TiO3-based ceramics with optimum piezoelectric properties, lead-free piezoelectric ceramics of (Bi1/2Na1/2)Ti1-x(Ni1/3Nb2/3)xO3 with x = ,0.0,0.0,0.03 and 0.04 have been synthesized by using a two-step calcination approach. The effect of B-site substitution by the complex (Ni1/3Nb2/3)4+ for Ti4+ on microstructure and piezoelectric properties was investigated. X-ray diffraction analysis shows that the materials possess a pure perovskite structure. The grain size decreases and the diffuse phase transition behavior becomes more evident with increasing x. The piezoelectric constant d33 increases and the planar electromechanical coupling factor kp exhibits no obvious enhancement with the increasing content of (Ni1/3Nb2/3)4+ substituting Ti4+ in (Bi1/2Na1/2)TiO3 ceramics. A maximum d33 value of 101 pC/N is obtained at x = 0.03. The mechanism of piezoelectric properties changes was also discussed according to the domain-wall contributions to the piezoelectric response.