Piezoelectric enhancement of new ceramics with artificial MPB engineering

Barium titanate (BaTiO3, BT)–potassium niobate (KNbO3, KN) (BT–KN) nanocomplex ceramics with various KN/BT molar ratios were prepared by a solvothermal method. From a transmittance electron microscopy (TEM) observation, it was confirmed that KN layer thickness of the BT–KN nanocomplex ceramics was controlled from 0 to 44 nm by controlling KN/BT molar ratios. Their apparent piezoelectric constants d33* were measured at 20 °C and 0.1 Hz, and the maximum d33* of around 167 pC/N was measured for the BT–KN nanocomplex ceramics with a KN thickness of 33 nm. The result suggested that the strained heteroepitaxial interface could be responsible to the enhanced piezoelectric properties.