Sintering temperature-induced electrical properties of (Ba0.90Ca0.10)(Ti0.85Zr0.15)O3 lead-free ceramics

Effects of the sintering temperature on the microstructure and electrical properties of (Ba0.90Ca0.10)(Ti0.85Zr0.15)O3 (BCTZ) lead-free piezoelectric ceramics have been studied, where these ceramics were prepared by the conventional oxide-mixed method at varied sintering temperatures from 1300 °C to 1500 °C. These BCTZ ceramics exhibits a phase transition from a rhombohedral phase to the coexistence of rhombohedral and tetragonal phases with an increase of sintering temperature. With an increase of sintering temperature, their relative density and average grain size gradually increase, and electrical properties are improved greatly. These BCTZ ceramics sintered at ∼1440 °C have optimum electrical properties: d33 ∼ 442 pC/N and kp ∼ 48.9%, making it a promising material for lead-free piezoelectric ceramics.

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► BCTZ ceramics endures a phase transition with sintering temperature.
► Electrical properties were tailored by varying sintering temperature.
► d33 ∼ 442 pC/N and kp ∼ 48.9% for BCTZ ceramics sintered at 1440 °C.