Role of room-temperature phase transition in the electrical properties of (Ba, Ca)(Ti, Zr)O3 ceramics

In order to shift the tricritical point to room temperature, Ba0.85Ca0.15Ti0.90Zr0.10O3 (BCTZ) ceramics were prepared by normal sintering with the addition of ZnO. The sintering behavior of BCTZ ceramics is also improved by using ZnO as a sintering aid. The room-temperature tricritical point results in improved electrical properties of ZnO-modified BCTZ ceramics. BCTZ ceramic with 0.06 mol.% ZnO demonstrates good piezoelectric properties: d(33) similar to 521 pC N-1 and k(p) similar to 47.8%. (C) 2011 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.