Ba(Cu0.5W0.5)O3-induced sinterability, electrical and mechanical properties of (Ba0.85Ca0.15Ti0.90Zr0.10)O3 ceramics sintered at low temperature

•The sintering temperature of 0.8 wt.% BCW doped BCZT ceramics is lowered from 1450 °C to 1220 °C.•The optimal piezoelectric properties have been obtained for the 0.8 wt.% BCW doped ceramics.•The ceramics hold favorable temperature stability and mechanical properties.

A low sintering temperature is achieved for (Ba0.85Ca0.15)(Ti0.90Zr0.10)O3 (BCZT) piezoelectric ceramics using Ba(Cu0.5W0.5)O3 (BCW) as a sintering aid. The effects of the BCW content on the density, phase structure, electrical and mechanical properties are investigated. The addition of BCW content significantly improves the sinterability of the BCZT ceramics, which results in a reduction of the sintering temperature from 1450 °C to 1220 °C and an improvement in both the piezoelectric and mechanical properties. The BCZT ceramics with x = 0.8 wt.% BCW sintered at 1220 °C exhibits outstanding piezoelectric, dielectric and mechanical properties: d33 = 541 pC/N, kp = 49%, Qm = 107, ϵr = 5405, tan δ = 0.014 and Tc = 78 °C. The ceramics also exhibit higher hardness (78 MPa) and higher fracture toughness (4.7 MPa m1/2). These results indicate that the BCZT–BCW lead-free ceramics sintered at low temperatures are promising for high temperature piezoelectric applications.

Graphical abstractThe sintering temperature can be decreased from 1450 °C to 1220 °C. And the optimal temperature stability, the favorable electrical and mechanical properties of (Ba0.85Ca0.15)(Ti0.90Zr0.10)O3 lead-free piezoelectric ceramics have been obtained by using 0.8 wt.% BCW as additive.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide