Weight Loss during Calcination and Sintering Process of Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3–Bi1/2(Mg2/3Nb1/3)O3 Composite Lead-Free Piezoelectric Ceramics

(1 − x)(Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO3–xBi(Mg2/3Nb1/3)O3 ceramics with x = 0.00 mol.% (0BMN), 0.01 mol.% (1BMN), 0.03 mol.% (3BMN), and 0.05 mol.% (5BMN) were synthesized using a solid-state processing technique. The thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of uncalcined samples up to 730 °C showed that the maximum weight loss was observed for 3BMN, whereas the minimum weight loss was attributed to the 0BMN sample. After that, calcination was performed at 800 °C for 4 h. The XRD of calcined samples showed the successful formation of the perovskite phase with no impurity phases. 1BMN and 3BMN samples showed some of the lattice strain; however, a morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) existed around x = 0.03 between the rhombohedral and tetragonal structure. The TGA of the green pellets showed weight loss up to the sintering temperature (1100 °C) and during the 3 h holding period. 5BMN showed the maximum weight loss up to sintering temperature, as well as during the holding period, whereas 0BMN displayed the minimum weight loss up to sintering temperature, as well as some weight gain during the holding period. The relative permittivity (er) was maximum at low frequencies, but the addition of BMN improved the er. The frequency dependence of dielectric loss (tanδ) showed that the maximum loss was observed for 3BMN at lower frequencies, and 5BMN showed the maximum loss at higher frequency among all samples.