Phase boundary and temperature driven enhanced piezoelectric and electrostrictive strain in (1−2x) Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3-xBaTiO3-xBa0.7Ca0.3TiO3 solid solution

Bismuth-based piezoelectric ceramics are presently of immense interest to researchers as they are believed to be Pb-free alternatives to well-known lead zirconate titanate-based piezoceramics. Herein, the author reports a lead-free ternary solid solution (1−2x)Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3-xBaTiO3-xBa0.7Ca0.3TiO3 (x = 0.01, 0.03, 0.05, 0.07, and 0.09: BNT-BT-BCT) synthesized through a standard solid state reaction route. All the samples crystallized to a complete perovskite structure studied through the powder x-ray diffraction analysis. Rietveld analysis of x-ray diffraction data revealed a structural transformation from monoclinic (Cc) to tetragonal phase (p4mm) with the co-existence of monoclinic (Cc) and tetragonal (p4mm) phases in the samples of x ≥ 0.03. The temperature-dependent dielectric analysis of (x = 0.03 and x = 0.05) systems suggests relaxor characteristics near ferroelectric–antiferroelectric phase transition temperature (Td). A changeover from relaxor to a near normal ferroelectric character was realized for x ≥ 0.07. Furthermore, the existence of polar nano-regions (PNRs) was studied through HR-TEM. Interestingly, a low electric field (±25 kV/cm) driven enhanced piezoelectric [(with 0.22% of strain; Smax/Emax = 850 pm/V for x = 0.03) and (with 0.17% strain and Smax/Emax of 714 pm/V for x = 0.07)] and an electrostrictive [with 0.20% of strain; Smax/Emax = 820 pm/V for x = 0.05] was achieved around Td. This can be attributed to the combined effects of phase boundary, ferroelectric–antiferroelectric transition, and the existence of PNRs.