Large Piezoelectric Constant and High Curie Temperature of Lead-Free Piezoelectric Ceramic Ternary System Based on Bismuth Sodium Titanate-Bismuth Potassium Titanate-Barium Titanate near the Morphotropic Phase Boundary

A lead-free piezoelectric ceramic ternary system based on bismuth sodium titanate, (Bi1/2Na1/2)TiO3 (BNT) - bismuth potassium titanate (Bi1/2K1/2)TiO3 (BKT) - barium titanate BaTiO3 (BT) near the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) between the tetragonal and rhombohedral phases has been investigated. In the case of a(Bi1/2Na1/2)TiO3–bBaTiO3–c(Bi1/2K1/2)TiO3 BNBK(100a/100b/100c) solid solution ceramics, the highest piezoelectric constant d33=191 pC/N, Curie temperature, Tc=301°C, electromechanical coupling factor, k33=0.56 and dielectric constant, ε33T/ε0=1141 are observed for the BNBK(85.2/2.8/12) composition which has a tetragonal phase near the MPB. The d33 value is the highest so far reported for all lead-free piezoelectric ceramics with Tc>300°C. The BNT-BKT-BT ternary ceramics system sintered at 1200°C for 2 h in air has a pure perovskite structure and a high density more than 95% of the theoretical density.