Structure and dielectric properties of (1-x)Bi<sub>0.5</sub>Na<sub>0.5</sub>TiO<sub>3–x</sub>BaTiO<sub>3</sub>piezoceramics prepared using hydrothermally synthesized powders
Andrea Nesterović, Jelena Vukmirović, Ivan Stijepović, Marija Milanović, Branimir Bajac, Elvira Tóth, Željka Cvejić, Vladimir V. Srdić
Abstract
The influence of different processing parameters and various Ba 2+ addition (up to 10 mol%) on the structure and dielectric properties of Bi 0.5 Na 0.5 TiO 3 -BaTiO 3 (BNT-BT) ceramics was investigated. The powders were hydrothermally synthesized in the alkaline environment at 180°C for different time periods. X-ray diffraction confirmed the presence of dominant rhombohedral Bi 0.5 Na 0.5 TiO 3 phase and a small amount of secondary pyrochlore Bi 2 Ti 2 O 7 phase in the pure BNT powders. In addition, one-dimensional Na 2 Ti 2 O 7 structure was also observed in the powder hydrothermally treated for a long time (i.e. 48 h). The amount of secondary pyrochlore phase in the BNT-BT powders increases with the increase of Ba 2+ content. The synthesized powders were pressed into pellets and finally sintered at various temperatures up to 1150°C. High density (more than 90%TD) was obtained in all BNT-BT sintered samples. Optimal sintering parameters were chosen in order to obtain dense ceramics with the optimal phase composition. The temperature dependence of dielectric properties for the BNT-BT ceramics was also studied. Relaxor behaviour of BNT-based ceramics and broad transition peaks are evident in all samples. Dielectric constant up to 400 as well as an acceptable low dielectric loss at temperatures lower than 200°C were obtained in BNT-BT ceramics.