Abstract
In the present work, lead-free piezoelectric ceramics (Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO3 -xCuO-yNiO (for x = 0.0, 0.02, 0.04 and 0.06) have been prepared by a conventional solid-state reaction method. An investigation of CuO and NiO doping in bismuth sodium titanate (BNT) and a study of the structure, morphology, and dielectric and ferroelectric properties of the NBT-CuNi system have been conducted. Phase and microstructural analysis of the (Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO3 (NBT) based ceramics has been carried out using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) images showed that inhibition of grain growth takes place with increasing Cu and Ni concentration. The results indicate that the co-doping of NiO and CuO is effective in improving the dielectric and ferroelectric properties of NBT ceramics. Temperature-dependent dielectric studies have also been carried out at room temperature to 400 degrees C at different frequencies. The NBT ceramics co-doped with x = 0.06 and y = 0.06 exhibited an excellent dielectric constant E-r = 1514. The study suggests that there is enormous scope of application of such materials in the future for actuators, ultrasonic transducers and high-frequency piezoelectric devices.