Enhanced dielectric and piezoelectric properties in Na0.5Bi4.5Ti4O15 ceramics with Pr-doping

The bismuth layer-structured Na_0.5Bi_4.5-xPr_xTi₄O₁₅ (x?=?0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5) (NBT-xPr³⁺) ceramics were fabricated using the traditional solid reaction process. The effect of different Pr³⁺ contents on dielectric, ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties of Na_0.5Bi_4.5Ti₄O₁₅ ceramics were investigated. The grain size of Pr³⁺-doping ceramics was found to be smaller than that of pure one, the maximum dielectric constant and Curie temperature T_c gradually decreased with increasing Pr³⁺ contents, and the dielectric loss decreased at high temperature by Pr³⁺-doping. Moreover, the activation energy (E_a), resistivity (Z’), remanent polarization (2P_r) and piezoelectric constant (d₃₃) increased by Pr³⁺-doping. The NBT-xPr³⁺ ceramics with x?=?0.3 achieved the optimal properties with the maximum dielectric constant of 1109.18, minimum loss of 0.00822 (250?kHz), E_a of 1.122?eV, Z’ of 7.9?kΩ?cm (725 ºC), d₃₃ of 18 pC/N, 2P_r of 12.04 μC/cm². The enhancement was due to the addition of Pr³⁺ which suppressed the decreasing of resistivity at high temperature and made it possible for NBT-xPr³⁺ ceramics to be poled in perpendicular direction, implying that it is a great improvement for Na_0.5Bi_4.5Ti₄O₁₅ ceramics in electrical properties.