Enhanced piezoelectric properties of barium titanate–potassium niobate nano-structured ceramics by MPB engineering

Barium titanate (BaTiO3, BT)–potassium niobate (KNbO3, KN) (BT–KN) nanocomplex ceramics with various KN/BT molar ratios were prepared by the solvothermal method. From a transmittance electron microscopy (TEM) observation, it was confirmed that KN layer thickness of the BT–KN nanocomplex ceramics was controlled from 0 to 44 nm by controlling KN/BT molar ratios. Their dielectric constants were measured at room temperature and 1 MHz, and a maximum dielectric constant of around 400 was measured for the BT–KN nanocomplex ceramics with a KN thickness of 22 nm. TEM observation revealed that below KN thickness of 22 nm, BT/KN heteroepitaxial interface was assigned to the strained interface while over 22 nm, the interface was assigned to the relaxed one. These results suggested that the strained heteroepitaxial interface could be responsible for the enhanced dielectric constants.