Structure and electrical properties in Sb-doped Ba0.93Ca0.07Ti0.92Sn0.08O3 ceramics near the phase coexistence point

In this work, Sb-doped Ba0.93Ca0.07Ti0.92Sn0.08O3 ceramics were successfully prepared by conventional solid-phase sintering reaction process and their phase structure, microstructure, and electrical properties were investigated systematically. The enhanced piezoelectric and dielectric properties (d33 = 520 pC/N, kp = 0.475, Qm = 149.3, εr = 6113 and tanδ = 1.73%) were obtained due to the co-existence of rhombohedral, orthorhombic and tetragonal phases near the room temperature. Meanwhile, the optimal ferroelectric properties (Pr = 8.17 μC/cm2, Ec = 1.56 kV/cm) were also gained at x = 0.15 mol%. The temperature dependence of dielectric constant reveals relaxation behavior at various frequencies, and relevant diffuse phase transition has been carefully studied. The large d33, εr, low tanδ and the relaxation behavior in (1−x)Ba0.93Ca0.07Ti0.92Sn0.08O3–xSb2O3 (x = 0.15 mol%) ceramic make it as a potential candidate for high power piezoelectric applications and ceramic capacitors.