Crystal Structure, Microstructure and Electrical Properties of (Ba_0.97Ca_0.03)(Ti_0.94-xMn_xSn_0.06)O₃ Ceramics Synthesized by the Solid State Combustion Technique

Abstract

This research studied the effect of MnO₂ substitution on the phase formation, microstructure and electrical properties of (Ba_0.97Ca_0.03)(Ti_0.94-xMn_xSn_0.06)O₃ (BCTMS with x = 0, 0.005, 0.010, 0.015, and 0.020 mol%) lead-free piezoelectric ceramics. The BCTMS ceramics were fabricated by the solid-state combustion technique. The powders and green pellets were calcined and sintered at 1100 °C for 4 h and 1400 °C for 2 h, respectively. The XRD patterns of all BCTMS ceramics exhibited a single perovskite structure with the coexisting orthorhombic and tetragonal phases, where the tetragonal phase increased and the orthorhombic decreases with increasing x. The average grain size decreased from 35 to 13 µm with increasing x. The dielectric constants at room temperature (ε_r) and at the Curie temperature (ε_C), density, remanent polarization (P_r), and piezoelectric coefficient (d₃₃) decreased as x increased. The changes in the crystal structure and microstructure affected electrical properties.

Keywords:

• BCTMS
• solid-state combustion
• dielectric
• ferroelectric
• piezoelectric properties

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Naresuan University for their supporting facilities. Thanks are also given to Asst. Prof. Dr. Kyle V. Lopin for his help in editing the manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

This work was financially supported by The National Science, Research and Innovation Fund (NSRF) through Naresuan University (R2565B059).