Preparation and characterization of KNbO 3 ceramics

Abstract

The processing and characterization of electrical properties of potassium niobate ceramic, KNbO 3 (KN) have been studied. The difficulty of obtaining dense samples by conventional methods limits the knowledge on electrical properties of this material. In this paper, a complete route for processing of KN with density over 94% is described. Piezoelectric and dielectric data are presented. It is observed that the major problem concerning the density is related to incorrect stoichiometry, which is believed to be a more critical issue for this system compared with other electro-ceramics.