Composition design, electrical properties, and temperature stability in (1 − x)K0.44Na0.56Nb0.96Sb0.04O3-xBi0.45La0.05Na0.5ZrO3 lead-free ceramics

Abstract

In this work, we designed a new system of (1 − x)K_0.44Na_0.56Nb_0.96Sb_0.04O₃-xBi_0.45La_0.05Na_0.5ZrO₃ (KNNS-xBLNZ, 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.06) ceramics, and systemically investigated both their electrical performance and temperature stability. Through optimizing the composition, a relatively good comprehensive performance (e.g., d₃₃ ∼ 455 ± 10 pC N⁻¹, k_p ∼ 0.47 ± 0.02, T_C ∼ 266 °C, strain ∼ 0.148%, and ) is obtained in the ceramics with x = 0.040, which is attributed to the construction of a rhombohedral–orthorhombic–tetragonal (R–O–T) phase boundary. Moreover, a good temperature stability of remnant polarization (P_r) as well as strain value (P_{r100 °C}/P_rRT ∼ 89.6%, P_{r180 °C}/P_rRT ∼ 73.2%, S_{100 °C}/S_RT ∼ 92.6%, S_{180 °C}/S_RT ∼ 74.1%) is gained in KNNS-0.040BLNZ ceramics with a broad temperature range from room temperature to 180 °C. Hence, we believe that KNNS-xBLNZ ceramics opens a window for the practical application of lead-free ceramics.