Effects of Nb doping on the microstructures and electrical properties of 0.44Bi(Sc0.75Co0.25)O3–0.56PbTiO3 piezoelectric system

The effects of Nb doping on the microstructures and electrical properties of 0.44Bi(Sc0.75Co0.25)O3–0.56PbTiO3 piezoelectric system were investigated. Our results indicate that a small amount of Nb ions can result in phase transition and improve the electrical properties. Enhanced ferroelectric–piezoelectric properties are obtained at low-level doping content with a slight reduction of transition temperature. The composition doped with 0.5 mol% Nb ions shows the optimal electrical properties with piezoelectric constant d33 = 390 pC/N, planar electromechanical coupling factor kp = 0.51, and a high transition temperature ∼351 °C, indicating a promising candidate for high-temperature applications.