Large electrostriction near the solubility limit in BaTi O3 -CaTi O3 ceramics

Abstract

This study prepared (1-x) BaTi O3 -xCaTi O3 (x=0.20-1.0) ceramics. Their structural and electric properties were analyzed. High electrostrictive strain of 0.22%, higher by 157% as compared to BaTi O3 ceramic, was obtained near the solubility limit in the side of composite (x=0.23), which is a diphasic ceramic composed of a ferroelectric tetragonal Ba0.8 Ca0.2 Ti O3 solid solution and a normal dielectric orthorhombic Ba0.07 Ca0.93 Ti O3 solid solution. This enhanced electrostriction resulted from the coupling of the large ionic polarization in Ba0.07 Ca0.93 Ti O3 with the non-180° domains in Ba0.8 Ca0. 2 Ti O3 during the external electric field exertion. © 2005 American Institute of Physics.