Sub-10 μm grain size, Ba1−xCaxTi0.9Zr0.1O3 (x = 0.10 and x = 0.15) piezoceramics processed using a reduced thermal treatment

The solid-state synthesis of Ba1−xCaxTi0.9Zr0.1O3 (x = 0.10, 0.15) (BCTZ) powder and the processing method of ceramics, by the use of reduced synthesis time and temperature (1250 °C for 2 h), are reported. Homogeneous and dense (≥95%) ceramic microstructures with sub-10 μm grain size were obtained under all sintering conditions. A comparative study of their ferro-piezoelectric properties as a function of sintering temperatures is presented. The study shows the role of the grain size effect for improving both piezoelectric and ferroelectric properties of these materials. With an increase of the sintering temperature, grain growth was promoted; therefore, higher ferro-piezoelectric values were obtained (at 1400 °C, for x = 0.10: d33 = 300 pC/N, ${{d}_{31}}=-150\;{\rm pC}/{\rm N},$ kp = 48%; for x = 0.15: d33 = 410 pC/N, d31 =–154 pC/N, kp = 50%). In addition, a diffuse phase transition is observed in these BCTZ ceramics with a Curie temperature near 100 °C at 1 kHz.Armando Reyes wants to thank CONACyT-México for providing a scholarship, also Omar Novelo (IIM-UNAM) for SEM image acquisition and Adriana Tejeda (IIM-UNAM) for x-ray pattern data. M E Villafuerte-Castrejón kindly acknowledges CONACyT CB-2011-1 No.166108 and PAPIIT-UNAM (IN102715) for financial support. L Pardo acknowledges support of CSIC-PIE 201060E069