Phase/domain structure and enhanced thermal stable ferro-/pyroelectric properties of (1-x)0.94Na0.48 Bi0.44TiO3-0.06BaTiO3:xZnO ceramics

• Published in: Journal of the European Ceramic Society 2020-03, Vol.40 (3), p.699-705
• Main Authors: Li, Ling, Wang, Rui-Xue, Shen, Meng, Zhang, Haibo, Gu, Zheng-Bin, Zhang, Shan-Tao, Wu, Di
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ferroelectric and pyroelectric properties; NBT-BT:ZnO composite; Phase and domain structure
• ISSN: 0955-2219; 1873-619X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2019.10.063

Composite ceramics based on non-stoichiometric 0.94Na0.48Bi0.44TiO3 (NBT-BT) and ZnO, (1-x)NBT-BT:xZnO with x = 0 ∼ 0.3 are prepared and investigated. The phase structure changes from tetragonal-dominated for x = 0 to rhombohedral-dominated for x > 0. The domain structure simultaneously evolves from nanodomain to macrodomain. At room temperature, the x = 0 ceramic has a pinched polarisation-electric field (P-E) loop, whereas x > 0 ceramics demonstrate square-shaped P-E loops with a maximum Pr of 30.6 μC/cm2 of x = 0.2. Moreover, ceramics with x = 0.1 and 0.2 have enhanced pyroelectric coefficients in a wide temperature range with full width at half maximums of 31 °C and 15.5 °C and peak values of 29.2 × 10−4 and 100.7 × 10−4 C/(m2·K), respectively. The results are explained based on the stress-induced room temperature relaxor-ferroelectric transition. This work affirms that forming composites is an effective way to tune the electrical properties of NBT-based materials.