Dielectric and Piezoelectric Properties of Barium Titanate – Potassium Niobate Nano-structured Ceramics with Artificial MPB Structure

Abstract

Barium titanate (BaTiO₃, BT) - potassium niobate (KNbO₃, KN) nano-structured ceramics with artificial morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) structure, were successfully prepared by solvothermal method at temperatures below 230 ˚C. Various characterizations suggested that the BT-KN nano-structured ceramics exhibited a porosity of around 30 % and heteroepitaxial interface between BT and KN. Their dielectric and piezoelectric properties were measured at room temperature, and the dielectric constant and apparent piezoelectric constant estimated from slope of strain and electric field curve was 370 and 136 pC/N, respectively.