Large strain and relaxation behavior in CeO2 doped Bi0.487Na0.427K0.06Ba0.026TiO3 piezoceramics

xCeO2-doped Bi0.487Na0.427K0.06Ba0.026TiO3 lead-free piezoelectric ceramics (BNTC1000x, x=0, 0.3, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0, 1.2, 1.4 wt%), were synthesized by the solid-state reaction method. XRD patterns showed that all BNTC1000x ceramics exhibit pure single perovskite phase. At the critical composition BNTC12, a large electric-field-induced strain of 0.39% with normalized strain (Smax/Emax) of 561 pm/V was obtained under an electric field of 65 kV/cm. The ferroelectric phase was fully poled with electric field, and depoled once the applied electric field was removed. During that cycle, the non-180°-domains repeated switching and back-switching and the large strain was induced. The relaxation behavior was involved in BNTC1000x ceramics and induced by oxygen vacancy migration. Besides, this behavior was more predominant in BNTC12 than in BNTC0.