Structure and piezoelectric properties of (1-0.5x)BaTiO3-0.5x(0.4BaZrO3-0.6CaTiO3) ceramics

(1 - 0.5x)BaTiO3-0.5x(0.4BaZrO(3)-0.6CaTiO(3)) (0 <= x <= 0.875) ceramics were fabricated by a conventional solid-state technique. The influence of the substitution content on crystallographic structure, phase transition, piezoelectric and ferroelectric properties was investigated. A morphotropic phase boundary from a cubic-rhombohedral-tetragonal tricritical triple point was found in x = 0.375-0.500. The sample with x = 0.375, sintered at a lower temperature (1623 K), showed excellent piezoelectric performance (d(33) = 420 pCN(-1), k(p) = 57%, Q(m) = 120.2 and T-C = 380 K) and good thermal stability up to 370 K.