Piezoelectric properties of (Na0.5K0.5)(Nb1‐xSbx)O3‐SrTiO3 ceramics with tetragonal‐pseudocubic PPB structure.

Abstract: CuO‐added 0.96(Na_0.5K_0.5)(Nb_1‐xSb_x)O₃‐0.04SrTiO₃ ceramics sintered at the low temperature of 960°C for 10 hours showed dense microstructures and high relative densities. The specimens with 0.0 ≤  x ≤ 0.04 had orthorhombic‐tetragonal polymorphic phase boundary (PPB) structure. Tetragonal‐pseudocubic PPB structure was observed in specimens with 0.05 ≤  x ≤ 0.07, while the specimen with x = 0.08 has a pseudocubic structure. The structural variation in the specimens is explained by the decreases in the orthorhombic‐tetragonal transition temperature and Curie temperature with the addition of Sb⁵⁺ ions. The specimens with 0.05 ≤  x ≤ 0.07, which have tetragonal‐pseudocubic PPB structure, had large electric field‐induced strains of 0.14%‐0.016%. Moreover, these specimens also showed increased d₃₃ values between 280 pC/N and 358 pC/N. In particular, the specimen with x = 0.055 showed particularly enhanced piezoelectric properties: d₃₃ of 358 pC/N, k_p of 0.45, and the electric field‐induced strain of 0.16% at 4.5 kV/mm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]