Phase transition, dielectric and piezoelectric properties of NaNbO3–Bi0.5Li0.5TiO3 lead-free ceramics

Lead-free ceramics (1−x)NaNbO3–xBi0.5Li0.5TiO3 have been fabricated by an ordinary sintering technique, and their electric properties and temperature characteristics have been studied. All the ceramics possess a perovskite structure with orthorhombic symmetry, indicating that (Bi0.5Li0.5)TiO3 diffuses into NaNbO3 lattices to form a new solid solution. A low (Bi0.5Li0.5)TiO3 doping level transforms the NaNbO3 ceramics from antiferroelectric to ferroelectric. The ceramics with x ≤ 0.075 are normal ferroelectric, and the ferroelectric-paraelectric phase become diffusives with the doping level of Bi0.5Li0.5TiO3 increasing. As x increases, the Curie temperature of the ceramics decreases linearly, while the relative permittivity εr increases. 0.925NaNbO3–0.075(Bi0.5Li0.5)TiO3 ceramic exhibits the relatively large piezoelectric constant (d33 = 58 pC/N), high Curie temperature (TC = 228 °C) and good temperature stability, suggesting that the ceramics are one of new possible candidates for lead-free piezoelectric materials.