LAUSR

Lead-free Ba0.85Ca0.15Zr0.1Ti0.9O3 (BCZT) powders were synthesized by sol–gel process followed by pressureless sintering. The structures of BCZT powders and ceramics, as well as the electrical properties, were studied. Through sol–gel process, BCZT powders could be obtained at a relatively low temperature of 800 °C. The obtained BCZT powders were cubic phase structure and well crystallized with an average grain size of 104.53 nm. The powders were further densified at 1400 °C, and BCZT ceramics with homogenous and dense (relative density > 95%) structure were obtained. The BCZT ceramics exhibited excellent electrical properties (εm = 8808, 2Pr = 24.48µC/cm2 and d33 = 485pC/N), which was comparable to those of lead-based piezoelectric ceramics, due to the high activity of the BCZT powders prepared by sol–gel process.