Morphological, piezoelectric and dielectric properties of piezoelectric lead-free ceramic Bi4Ti3O12 for energy harvesting applications: milling process effects

Abstract

A lead-free piezoelectric ceramic, Bismuth titanate (Bi4Ti3O12), is synthesized as an environmentally friendly alternative to the commonly used Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT). This study focuses on investigating the effects of processing conditions on the morphological and structural properties of piezoelectric ceramics. The material is synthesized successfully through a solid-state reaction technique and is fully characterized using various techniques, including XRD, Raman, TG/DTG, SEM/EDX, piezoelectric, and dielectric analysis. The results show that wet or dry milling affects the morphological properties of the piezoelectric ceramic powder. SEM images reveal that the ceramic prepared by solvent-assisted solid-state (BTOS) exhibits a crystallite length of about 2 micrometers, compared to the ceramic powder prepared in a dry medium (BTO), which shows a crystallite length of about 9 micrometers. The d33 piezoelectric coefficient values are around 27.7 pC/N and 21.4 pC/N, and the Kp values are found to be 29% and 26% for BTOS and BTO, respectively. This work contributes to the optimization of lead-free piezoelectric ceramic processing with potential applications in various sectors.