Polarization and strain response in Bi0.5K0.5TiO3-BiFeO3 ceramics

Highly dense and phase-pure ferroelectric ceramics in the (1-x)Bi0.5K0.5TiO3-xBiFeO(3) system have been prepared and examined in a wide range of composition (0.1 <= x <= 0.9). The dielectric and electromechanical properties have been shown to reach a maximum value at x approximate to 0.25 demonstrating a high strain performance (250-370pm/V in the temperature range 25-175 degrees C). Stability of the strain response with respect to temperature, as well as frequency and amplitude of the driving electric field is reported and discussed. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4772588]