Preparation and properties of Fe2O3 doped (Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3- Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3 lead-free piezoelectric ceramics

Fe2O3 doped (Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3- Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3 (BCZT) lead-free piezoelectric ceramics were prepared by the solid state synthesis method. The phase composition, microstructure, electrical properties of as-prepared ceramics were characterized by XRD, SEM, impedance analyzer and other techniques. The results show that Fe2O3 doping reduces sintering temperature of BCZT lead-free piezoelectric ceramics and the curie temperature Tc increases from 85°C to 95°C. BCZT ceramic samples doped with 0.02wt%-0.1wt% Fe2O3 possess a typical ABO3 type perovskite structure; the grain size of those materials decreases as Fe2O3 content increasing. As doping 0.04wt% Fe2O3, the observed ceramic sample shows the best electrical properties, and its piezoelectric constant d33, electromechanical coupling factor kp, mechanical quality factor Qm, dielectric loss tanδ and dielectric constant Εr reach optimum values of 400 pC/N, 0.40, 51, 0.023, 3482, respectively.