Influence of ZrO2 addition on dielectric and piezoelectric properties of (Bi0.5Na0.5)TiO3-BaTiO3 lead-free piezoceramics

M. DIFEO; L. RAMAJO; CASTRO M.S,

Panamá

Congreso; Pan American Ceramics Congress and Ferroelectrics Meeting of Americas (PACC-FMAs 2022); 2022

The American Ceramic Society

Piezoelectric materials based on lead zirconate titanate (PZT) are widely used in many electronic devices due to their excellent electrical properties. However, the European Union (EU) legislation restricts the use of hazardous substances and encouraged a strong effort, into the science and technology of lead-free piezoceramics, for the development of piezoelectric lead-free compositions. Bismuth sodium titanates are one of the most studied lead-free piezoceramics families. However, the high coercive field (Ec~73 kV/cm), in addition to the relatively high leakage currents, hinders the complete polarization of these ceramics. Therefore, to solve the main drawbacks presented by the BNT composition, (Bi0.5Na0.5)TiO3-BaTiO3 (BNT-BT) solid solutions were studied. These ceramics present a polymorphic phase transition where good piezoelectric properties are obtained and, consequently, are considered as promising candidates to replace lead-based piezoelectric materials and can also be modified by the incorporation of additives for specific applications. Taking into account the previous results reported by other researchers, different amounts of ZrO2 (x = 0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 mol%) were added to the 0.94(Bi0.5Na0.5)TiO3–0.06BaTiO3 polymorphic phase boundary composition synthesized by the solid-state method. Samples were sintered at 1150 °C and structural, microstructural and functionally characterized.