Fabrication and properties of Na0.9K0.1NbO3 nanostructures by molten salt synthesis

Na0.9K0.1NbO3 nanostructures have been prepared by a molten salt synthesis method using KCl–NaCl as medium. Though the equal amount of Na2CO3 and K2CO3 has been introduced, the resulted products are a Na rich Na0.9K0.1NbO3, not Na0.5K0.5NbO3. Due to the higher diffusion rate of Na+ ions compared to that of K+ ions, the Na+ ions preferentially occupy the A-site in the perovskite structure, facilitating the formation of Na0.9K0.1NbO3. Moreover, Na0.9K0.1NbO3 ceramics densified from nanostructures show the saturated ferroelectric loop. The coercive electric field Ec and remanent polarization Pr are 45 kV/cm and 17 μC/cm2, respectively.