Piezoelectric properties of La and Nb co-modified Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂ high-temperature ceramics

Bi_4-xLa_xTi₃O₁₂ + mol 4% Nb₂O₅ ceramics were prepared by the conventional ceramic method and the effect of La content on their electrical properties was investigated. Density and resistivity of Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂ ceramics were improved by doping La and Nb. The dielectric constant and the dielectric loss decreased simultaneously with increasing La content. An enhanced piezoelectric behavior of d₃₃ ∼ 16.0 pC/N was obtained in the ceramic with x = 0.50, together with a good temperature stability. As a result, the introduction of La and Nb was considered an effective way to improve the piezoelectric properties of Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂ ceramics. (author)