Investigation of the electrical properties of textured 0.5[Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8)]O3–0.5[(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3] piezoceramics

Abstract

In this study, lead-free 0.5[Ba(Zr<inf>0.2</inf>Ti<inf>0.8</inf>)]O<inf>3</inf>–0.5[(Ba<inf>0.7</inf>Ca<inf>0.3</inf>)TiO<inf>3</inf>] (BZT–BCT) piezoelectric ceramics were prepared in the temperature range of 1360–1480 °C by dry-pressing and tape-casting. 5 mole% plate-like BaTiO<inf>3</inf> templates were used for texturing BZT–BCT through templated grain growth process. Highly textured ceramics with up to 0.94° of grain orientation as determined by the Lotgering factor were obtained with optimum sintering conditions. Textured ceramics exhibited excellent electromechanical properties (d<inf>33</inf> * > 900 pm/V, x > 0.19%) and dielectric properties (?<inf>r</inf> > 3000, tan? < 1.8%) at room temperature. The Curie–Weiss analysis indicated that while ceramics with randomly oriented grains showed a mixed character between normal and relaxor ferroelectric behavior, development of texture led to a decrease in the diffuseness of the phase transition. © 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.