Effects of Co doping on microstructure and properties of (K_0.5Na_0.5)NbO₃–LiSbO₃–BiFe_(1−x)Co _x O₃ lead-free piezoelectric ceramics

0.998 [(0.95(K_0.5Na_0.5)NbO₃–0.05LiSbO₃]–0.002BiFe_(1−x)Co _x O₃ (KNN–LS–BF_(1−x)C _x ) lead-free piezoelectric ceramics were prepared by conventional solid-state reaction method. The influences of Co content on the phase structure, microstructure, density and related electrical properties were investigated. The results reveal that the substitution of Co significantly improves the sinterability and the electrical properties of KNN–LS–BF_(1−x)C _x ceramics, sintered at a lower temperature of 1,030 °C, compared with that of KNN–LS–BF ceramics. With increasing x from 0 to 0.8, all samples show a pure perovskite structure, but the grain size increases continuously,and the porosity level reaches it’s lowest value at x = 0.2. The density ρ, piezoelectric constant d ₃₃, coupling factor k _p and dielectric constant ε _r increase with x up to 0.2, and then decrease with further increase in x value, but the variation of dielectric loss tan δ is opposite. The density and electrical properties achieve optimal value of ρ = 4.287 g/cm³, d ₃₃ = 276 pC/N, k _p  = 48 %, ε _r  = 1,284 and tan δ = 1.95 %, when x = 0.2. And Tc ≈ 340 °C at all the variation range of Co content.