摘要:
Lead-free piezoelectric (K
0.5Na
0.5)
1-xLi
xNbO
3 (
x = 0at%-20at%) ceramics were synthesized by spark plasma sintering (SPS) at low temperature and the effects of LiNbO
3 addition on its crystal structure and properties were also studied. When the Li content was less than 6at%, a single proveskite phase with the similar structure of (K
0.5Na
0.5)NbO
3 was formed; and a secondary phase with K
3Li
2Nb
5O
15 structure was observed in the 6at% <
x < 20at% compositional range. Furthermore, LiNbO
3 existed as the third phase when the Li content was higher than 8at%. The grain sizes increased from 200-500 nm to 5-8 μm when the K
3Li
2Nb
5O
15 and LiNbO
3 like phases were formed. With increasing Li content, the relative density of the ceramics first decreased from 97% to 93% and then kept constant. The piezoelectric coefficient
d33, dielectric constant, and planner electromechanical coupling factor exhibited a decreasing tendency with increasing Li content because of the decrease in density and the formation of the secondary phase such as K
3Li
2Nb
5O
15 and LiNbO
3. The formation of dense microstructure with a single phase is necessary in improving the properties of the (K
0.5Na
0.5)
1-xLi
xNbO
3 ceramics.