Preparation and Properties of Sm2O3 Doped (Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3-Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3 Lead-free Piezoelectric Ceramics

Sm2O3 doped (Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3-Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O-3 (BCZT) lead-free piezoelectric ceramics were prepared by solid state synthesis method. The microstructure and electrical properties of prepared ceramics were investigated by XRD, SEM and other techniques. The results demonstrate that Sm2O3 doping reduces sintering temperature of BCZT lead-free piezoelectric ceramics and increases the Curie temperature T-c from 85 degrees C to 95 degrees C. BCZT ceramics doped with 0.02wt% - 0.1wt% Sm2O3 possess a typical ABO(3) type perovskite structure. With the doping of 0.02wt% Sm2O3, the BCZT ceramics show the optimum electrical properties, and its piezoelectric constant d(33), electromechanical coupling factor k(p), mechanical quality factor Q(m), dielecteic loss tans and relative dielectric constant epsilon(r) reach 590 pC/N, 0.52, 43, 1.3% and 3372, respectively.