Sodium potassium niobate-based lead-free piezoelectric ceramics

Due to the toxicity of lead, there is an urgent need to develop lead-free alternatives to replace the currently dominant lead-based piezoelectrics such as lead zirconate titanate (PZT). (Na_[0.5]K_[0.5])NbO₃ (NKN)-based piezoelectrics are promising because of their relatively high Curie temperatures and piezoelectric coefficients among the non-lead piezoelectrics. However, it is difficult to sinter. In this thesis study, a colloidal coating method was developed to improve the sintering of NKN. With this coating method, NKN with good piezoelectric properties can be produced without cold isostatic pressing. To improve the piezoelectric performance of NKN, we performed antimony (Sb) doping studies for a NKN-LN solid solution using the coating approach. It was found that Sb doping greatly improved the density and the piezoelectric properties of the NKN-LiNbO₃ solid solution and optimized performance was found at 4%Sb. The reasons for the improved piezoelectric properties and density were discussed. Recently, a large enhancement in the piezoelectric performance under electric fields was discovered in polycrystalline lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate (PMN-PT) when the material was made into freestanding film geometry. Here, for the first time, we show a similar effect was also observed in a lead-free system, (Na_[0.5]K_[0.5])_[0.945]Li_[0.055]Nb_[0.96]Sb_[0.04]O₃. At 6-8 kV/cm, a giant -d₃₁ value of 1700 pm/V was achieved, 20 times higher than the value of bulk counterpart. The enhancement was found to result from the ease of domain motion imparted by the freestanding film geometry, and the magnitude of the enhancement can be affected by the electrode layer (a non-piezoelectric) thickness. The freestanding geometry provides a new approach to greatly improve the piezoelectric performance of the current lead-free systems.