Composition and poling condition-induced electrical behavior of (Ba0.85Ca0.15)(Ti1-xZrx)O3 lead-free piezoelectric ceramics

Lead-free (Ba0.85Ca0.15)(Ti1-xZrx)O-3 (BCTZ) piezoelectric ceramics were fabricated by normal sintering in air atmosphere. BCTZ ceramics with x=0.10 possess a coexistence of tetragonal and rhombohedral phases at similar to 40 degrees C. The Curie temperature of BCTZ ceramics decreases with increasing the Zr content. Piezoelectric properties of BCTZ ceramics are dependent on the poling conditions (i.e., the poling temperature and the poling electric field), and the underlying physical mechanism is illuminated by the phase angle. The BCTZ (x=0.10) ceramic, which locates at the existence of two phases and is poled at E similar to 4.0 kV/mm and T-p similar to 40 degrees C, exhibits an optimum electrical behavior at a room temperature of similar to 20 degrees C:d(33)similar to 423 pC/N, k(p)similar to 51.2%, 2P(r)similar to 18.86 mu C/cm(2), 2E(c)similar to 0.47 kV/mm, epsilon(r)similar to 2892, and tan delta similar to 1.53%. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.