Giant d33 in (K,Na)(Nb,Sb)O3-(Bi,Na,K,Li)ZrO3 based lead-free piezoelectrics with high Tc

In this work, a lead-free piezoelectric system based on (1-x)(K0.48Na0.52)(Nb0.95Sb0.05)O-3-xBi(0.5)(Na0.7K0.2Li0.1)(0.5)ZrO3 [(1-x)KNNS-xBNKLZ] is developed, and a rhombohedral-tetragonal phase boundary is constructed in this system. The relationship between the phase boundary and the piezoelectric properties of the (1-x)KNNS-xBNKLZ ceramics is illuminated. The coexistence of a tetragonal phase and a rhombohedral phase is identified in the composition range of 0.03 < x< 0.05. For such composition, the ceramics show giant d(33) of similar to 380 pC/N, high T-c of similar to 290 degrees C, and a good thermal-depolarization behavior (d(33) > 300 pC/N) of similar to 210 degrees C. We believe that the (1-x)KNNS-xBNKLZ system is very promising for lead-free piezoelectric applications. (C) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.