Two-step sintering of new potassium sodium niobate ceramics: a high d₃₃ and wide sintering temperature range

In this work, the two-step sintering technique is used to realize a high piezoelectric constant (d33) and wide sintering temperature range (T(S)) in the 0.955(K(0.42)Na(0.58))(Nb(0.96)Sb(0.04))O3-0.045(Bi(0.5)K(0.5))(0.90)Zn(0.10)ZrO3 lead-free ceramics. Dense microstructures were developed in the ceramics by two-step sintering. In the T(S) range of 800-1130 °C, the rhombohedral-tetragonal phase boundary was well maintained, and these ceramics possess enhanced dielectric, ferroelectric, and piezoelectric properties. It is of great interest to note that a d33 of 323-416 pC/N could be attained in a temperature gap range of 330 °C. We believe that the two-step sintering could both widen the sintering temperature and obtain a high d33 for this material system.