Low electric-field driven ultrahigh electrostrains in Sb-substituted (Na,K)NbO{sub 3} lead-free ferroelectric ceramics
Lead-free (Na{sub 0.52}K{sub 0.48})(Nb{sub 1−y}Sb{sub y})O{sub 3} (NKNS{sub y}) ferroelectric ceramics were reported to exhibit an ultrahigh electrostrain (dynamic d{sub 33}* (=S/E) of 800–1100 pm/V) in a relatively low driving electric field range (1–4 kV/mm). As evidenced by in-situ synchrotron x-ray diffraction and dielectric measurements, the mechanism of generating large strains was ascribed to both the low-field induced reversible rhombohedral-monoclinic phase transition (1–2 kV/mm) and the enhanced domain switching (2–4 kV/mm) owing to the normal to relaxor phase transformation, which contribute to ∼62% and ∼38% of the total strain, respectively. The results indicate that the NKNS{sub y} compositions would have excellent potentials for applications of lead-free actuator ceramics.