High piezoelectricity in CuO-modified Ba(Tio.90Sn0.10)O3 lead-free ceramics with modulated phase structure

High piezoelectricity was achieved in Ba(Ti0.90Sno.(10))O-3 lead-free ceramics by optimizing CuO addition and sintering temperature. The phase structure of 1.0 mol% CuO-doped Ba(Ti-0.90 Sn-o.10 )O-3 ceramic is coexisting rhombohedral and tetragonal phases as sintered at 1300 degrees C. The coexistence of rhombohedral, tetragonal and orthorhombic phases appears in 1.0 mol% CuO-doped Ba(Ti0.10Sn0.10)O-3 ceramics as sintered at 1350-1450 degrees C, which leads to highly enhanced d(33) up to 650pC/N. This work demonstrates that high piezoelectric property (d33 = 650pC/N) can be obtained in BaTiO3-based lead-free piezoceramics with a simple composition modification by modulating phase structures, which also indicates that Ba(Ti,Sn)O-3 is a promising candidate to replace the lead-based piezoceramics. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.