Synthesis of Tantalum Doped Sodium-Potassium Niobate System by Solid state Reaction Technique

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). (Na0.5K0.5)NbO3 (NKN)-based piezoelectrics are promising because of their relatively high Curie temperatures and piezoelectric coefficients among the non-lead piezoelectrics.How ever, it is difficult to sinter. Sodium potassium niobate [(Na0.5K0.5)NbO3 or NKN], the main material system on which the research of this thesis work is centered. The challenges for lead-free materials to replace lead-based families and the approaches to improve the piezoelectric performance of lead-free systems by adding dopants to the system