Analysis of the phase transitions in BNT-BT lead-free ceramics around morphotropic phase boundary by mechanical and dielectric spectroscopies

Abstract

in this work, the syntheses and characterization by mechanical and dielectric spectroscopies of (1-x) Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3-xBaTiO3 (BNT-100xBT), with x = 0.05, 0.06 and 0.07, lead-free piezoelectric ceramics is reported. Ceramic samples of BNT-BT have been prepared by mixed-oxide method and then conventionally sintered. X-ray diffraction patterns of sintered samples, indicated for BNT-7BT the presence of tetragonal (P4mm) complex perovskite structure, whereas for BNT-5BT and BNT-6BT the samples exhibit a mixture of tetragonal (P4mm) and rhombohedral (R3c) crystalline phases, which reveal the presence of a morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) in the BNT-BT system. Measurements of internal friction, Q-1, and the storage modulus, E', as a function of temperature at various frequencies were carried out in a Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer (DMA), in the temperature range from 0°C to 600°C. Dielectric profiles are recorded in the frequency range from 1kHz to 100kHz and the temperature range from room temperature to 475°C. Mechanical loss spectra obtained for investigated compositions of BNT-BT samples showed different frequency-independent anomalies. Two main anomalies for BNT-5BT and BNT-6BT, observed around 100°C and 430°C were associated with the ferroelectric-antiferroelectric and antiferroelectricparaelectric phase transitions, respectively. The results obtained from mechanical loss measurements were supported by dielectric relaxation spectra. For BNT-7BT, outside the MPB, four different frequency-independent processes were observed.