Studying the effect of Bi2O3 addition before and after calcination on electrical properties of (Ba0.85Ca0.15)(Zr0.1Ti0.9)O3 piezoceramics

Lead-free Ba0.85Ca0.15Zr0.1Ti0.9O3 (BCZT) compounds were synthesized using the conventional solid state ceramic processing and the effects of Bi2O3 addition on density and electrical properties was investigated. In order to decrease the loss of Bi at high processing temperatures of BCZT, two methods were employed to introduce bismuth oxide; one, in which Bi2O3 was mixed with the raw materials and the composition was balanced for A-site substitution before calcination and the other where Bi2O3 (0.1mol%) was added after calcination, milled, compacted, and sintered (1350-1500 °C) with no compensation at A or B-sites. Phase and microstructure analyses were carried out using x-ray diffractometry and scanning electron microscopy. The temperature and frequency dependence of dielectric properties showed a normal ferroelectric behavior. Our results revealed that Bi incorporation based on the second method was more effective in increasing the density and improving the electrical properties. The highest direct and converse piezoelectric constants, planar coupling factor, and remnant polarization obtained were d33=325 pC/m, d33*=675 pm/V (d33*/d33=2.1), kp=0.42, and Pr=10.4 µC/cm2, respectively, for the BCZT sample with 0.1 mol% Bi2O3, as sintering aid, sintered at 1350 °C, which were attributed to the larger grains and higher density of the corresponding composition.