Processing and properties of bismuth sodium titanate-based piezoelectric ceramics for transducer applications

Piezoelectric ceramics have been key materials for transducer applications. Most practical materials are developed from the binary and ternary systems of lead-based perovskite piezoceramics. The main drawbacks of these lead-based materials include processing of PbO and, also, PbO evaporation during sintering, leading to a serious pollution problem. The toxicity and volatility of lead oxide are critical environmental issues which cannot be overlooked.;Through the concept of Smolenskii, it is possible to replace Pb with elements having similar electron configuration and still obtain a material exhibiting similar behavior in spontaneous polarization. The Bi;In this research, the structure-processing-properties relations of BNT and solid solutions of BNT with Pb;A series of the modified BNT piezoceramics encompassing various dielectric and piezoelectric properties was prepared by the addition of three rare-earth ions, La...