Lead-free In2O3-doped (Bi0.5Na0.5)0.93Ba0.07TiO3 ceramics synthesized by direct reaction sintering

Lead-free (Bi0.5Na0.5)0.93Ba0.07TiO3–xwt%In2O3 ceramics synthesized by direct reaction sintering have been studied. X-ray diffraction reveals that all (Bi0.5Na0.5)0.93Ba0.07TiO3–xwt%In2O3 ceramics are of a perovskite structure with coexistence of rhombohedral and tetragonal phases. It is found that the direct reaction sintering promotes growing of ceramic grains while doping of In2O3 contributes to inhibit and homogenize the grain growth, as shown by scanning electron microscopy. The ceramics show excellent piezoelectric and dielectric properties with thickness electromechanical coupling factor kt=0.503, piezoelectric constant d33=205pC∕N, dielectric constant ε33T∕ε0=1046, and loss tangent tanδ=0.036.