Lead-free ceramic materials produced from bismuth sodium
titanate
(Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3, NBT)–bismuth
potassium titanate (K0.5Bi0.5TiO3, KBT) have been developed through a solid-state reaction technique.
The structural, dielectric, and piezoelectric characteristics of the
ceramic materials were analyzed. Based on the XRD investigation, the
morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) was determined for the composition
(x (%) = 16 and 20). The effects of the KBT phase
on the NBT lattice were examined using the charge density distribution.
Furthermore, the dielectric properties indicated the presence of a
negative dielectric constant (εr′) as a function
of frequency between 1 kHz and 2 MHz. Negative permittivity was observed
globally in the (1 – x)NBT–xKBT ceramic which reflects the effect of the dielectric
resonance. The grain conduction effect is revealed through the complex
impedance spectrum in the form of a semicircular arc within the Nyquist
plot. In addition, the samples studied revealed a non-Debye relaxation
phenomenon. The relaxation time was determined based on the Vogel-Fulcher
law for all samples. DC conductivity was carried out on the ceramics
material and revealed that the resistance decreases with increasing
temperature indicating a negative temperature coefficient of resistance.
The AC conductivity as a function of frequency for different temperatures
suggests the presence of a thermally activated conduction mechanism.
The activation energy has been determined based on the Arrhenius plot
of the DC electrical conductivity as well as the relaxation frequency.