High-quality lead-free ferroelectric ceramics prepared from the flash-creation-method-derived nanopowder

We report high-quality and high-density Bi3.25La0.75Ti3O12 ceramics prepared by sintering at a low temperature of 900 degrees C from the nanosized powder with a diameter around 100 nm synthesized by the flash creation method. The densification at 900 degrees C, which was 300 degrees C lower sintering temperature compared with conventional solid-state reaction, enables us to obtain the ceramics showing a remanent polarization of 14.5 mu C/cm(2), a coercive field of 50 kV/cm and a leakage current of similar to 10(-9) A /cm(2). The superior properties are indicated to originate from lower defect concentration achieved by the low temperature sintering.