Ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties of [(Bi_0.98La_0.02Na_1−x Li _x )_0.5]_0.94Ba_0.06TiO₃ lead-free ceramics

Lead-free ceramics [(Bi_0.98La_0.02Na_1−x Li _x )_0.5]_0.94Ba_0.06TiO₃ have been prepared by an ordinary sintering technique and their ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties have been studied. The results of X-ray diffraction reveal that Li⁺, Ba²⁺, and La³⁺ diffuse into the Bi_0.5Na_0.5TiO₃ lattices to form a new solid solution with a pure perovskite structure. The partial substitution of Li⁺ lowers the coercive field E _c and improves the remanent polarization P _r. Because of the larger P _r and lower E _c, the ceramic with x = 0.10 exhibits optimum piezoelectric properties: d ₃₃ = 212 pC/N and k _P = 36.1%. The partial substitution of Li⁺ for Na⁺ shifts the depolarization temperature T _d toward low temperature. The ceramics exhibit relaxor characteristic, which is probably resulted from the cation disordering in the 12-fold coordination sites. The temperature dependences of the ferroelectric and dielectric properties suggest that the ceramics contain both the polar and non-polar regions near/above T _d, which cause the polarization hysteresis loop become deformed and the ceramics become depolarized.