Effects of sintering temperature on structure and properties of 0.98[K0.5Na0.5NbO3–LiSbO3–BiFeO3]–0.02ZnO piezoelectric ceramics

0.98{0.996[(0.95(K0.5Na0.5)NbO3–0.05LiSbO3]–0.004BiFeO3}–0.02ZnO (KNN–LS–BF–ZnO) ceramics were prepared by conventional sintering method. The effects of sintering temperature on the structure and properties of KNN–LS–BF–ZnO ceramics were studied. The results reveal that the sintering temperature has significant influence on the crystallizability and properties of KNN–LS–BF–ZnO ceramics. With the increase of sintering temperature from 1000 to 1060 °C, the main phase structure of KNN–LS–BF–ZnO ceramics changes from tetragonal phase to orthorhombic phase, and the grains become smaller and more homogeneous. When the sintering temperature is below 1020 °C, the maximum values of d 33 = 278 pC/N, k p = 45 %, e r = 1236 can be obtained, meanwhile the P r and the E c are higher than 22.5 μC/cm2 and lower than 1.2 kV/mm, respectively. However, the minimum value of tanδ = 2.62 % will be obtained when the sintering temperature is 1040 °C and the Q m value increases with the increase of sintering temperature from 1000 to 1060 °C. On the whole, the KNN–LS–BF–ZnO ceramics sintered at 1010 °C could obtained its best dielectric and piezoelectric properties.