Microstructure and electrical properties of (Ba0.98Ca0.02)(Ti0.94Sn0.06)O3-modified Bi0.51Na0.50TiO3 lead-free ceramics

(Ba0.98Ca0.02)(Ti0.94Sn0.06)O3-modified Bi0.51Na0.5TiO3 [(1 − x)BNT–xBCTS] ceramics were prepared by the normal sintering. A stable solid solution is well formed between BNT and BCTS, and the morphotropic phase boundary of (1 − x)BNT–xBCTS ceramics is identified in the compositional range of 0.05 ≤ x ≤0.06. The temperature dependence of the dielectric loss and the poling temperature dependence of the d33 value are used to determine the depolarization value (Td). The Td value of these ceramics gradually decreases with increasing BCTS content, together with the gradual increase of the dielectric constant. An enhanced electrical behavior of d33 ∼ 170 pC/N, kp ∼ 32.8%, Pr ∼ 38.5 μC/cm2, and Ec ∼ 34.3 kV/cm is demonstrated for the ceramic with x = 0.06, which is double than that of pure BNT ceramic.