Thermal stability of xBiScO3–(1-x-y)PbZrO3–yPbTiO3 ternary piezoelectric system with enhanced piezoelectric and dielectric properties

Abstract A x BiScO 3 –(1- x - y )PbZrO 3 – y PbTiO 3 (denoted as x BS–(1- x - y )PZ– y PT) ternary piezoelectric system was prepared by combining BiScO 3 –PbTiO 3 and PbZrO 3 –PbTiO 3 for high-temperature applications. The morphotropic phase boundary region of the ternary system was identified by X-ray diffraction results together with piezoelectric and dielectric performance, which located at x = 0.054, y = 0.470; x = 0.072, y = 0.479; and x = 0.108, y = 0.492 composition intervals. Among all samples prepared, 0.072BS–0.449PZ–0.479PT displays the optimal piezoelectric and dielectric properties – piezoelectric coefficient d 33 of 426 pC/N, relative dielectric constant e r of 1703, electromechanical coupling factor k p of 0.55, and Curie temperature T c of 317 °C. Additionally, this composition exhibits excellent thermal stability over a broad temperature range. Within the temperature range of 40–200 °C (0.63 T c ), variations in k p , mechanical quality factor Q m , and e r are 16.7% (Δ k p / k p ), 14.8% (Δ Q m / Q m ), and 5.22/°C ( ∂ e / ∂ T ), respectively. The improved piezoelectric, dielectric properties and thermal stability is possibly attributed to the increasing number of irreversible non–180° domains that formed upon addition of BiScO 3 .