Ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties of [(Ba1-3x/2Bix)0.85Ca0.15](Ti0.90Zr0.10)O3 lead-free piezoelectric ceramics

Bismuth-modified barium calcium zirconate titanate ceramics [(Ba1-3x/2Bix)(0.85)Ca-0.15](Ti0.90Zr0.10)O-3 (BBCTZ) have been prepared by the conventional solid-state reaction method, and effects of Bi content on the electrical properties of BBCTZ ceramics were systematically investigated. BBCTZ ceramics endure a phase transition from the coexistence of rhombohedral and tetragonal phases, a tetragonal phase, to a cubic phase with increasing Bi content. The Curie temperature, the remanent polarization, and the dielectric loss of BBCTZ ceramics gradually decrease with increasing the Bi content. The BBCTZ ceramic with x = 0.0075 exhibits an optimum electrical behavior: d(33) similar to 361 pC/N and k(p) similar to 40.2%. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.