文摘
Lead-free (K<sub>0.5sub>Na<sub>0.5sub>)(Nb<sub>1-xsub>Ge<sub>xsub>)O<sub>3sub> (KNN-xGe, where x = 0-0.01) piezoelectric ceramics were prepared by conventional ceramic processing. The effects of Ge4+ cation doping on the phase compositions, microstructure and electrical properties of KNN ceramics were studied. SEM images show that Ge4+ cation doping improved the sintering and promoted the grain growth of the KNN ceramics. Dielectric and ferroelectric measurements proved that Ge4+ cations substituted Nb5+ ions as acceptors, and the Curie temperature (T<sub>Csub>) shows an almost linear decrease with increasing the Ge4+ content. Combining this result with microstructure observations and electrical measurements, it is concluded that the optimal sintering temperature for KNN-xGe ceramics was 1020°C. Ge4+ doping less than 0.4 mol.%can improve the compositional homogeneity and piezoelectric properties of KNN ceramics. The KNN-xGe ceramics with x = 0.2% exhibited the best piezoelectric properties: piezoelectric constant d<sub>33sub> = 120 pC/N, planar electromechanical coupling coefficient k<sub>psub> = 34.7%, mechanical quality factor Q<sub>msub> = 130, and tanδ = 3.6%.