A comparative study of direct and indirect evaluation of piezoelectric properties of electrophoreticaly deposited (Ba, Ca) (Zr, Ti)O3 lead-free piezoceramics

Abstract The development and optimisation of piezoceramics are targeted usually to enhance their piezoelectric properties evaluated by both the direct or indirect measurement methods. The presented work aims to elaborate on the correlation of one direct (Berlincourt) and two indirect (convert and field-dependent) piezoelectric measurement methods on various material states. The role of the ceramic powder treatment by ball milling and electrophoretic deposition (EPD) technique on the determined electric properties as well as basic physical and mechanical properties of (Ba0.85Ca0.15) (Zr0.1Ti0.9)O3 ceramics (BCZT) was investigated. It was found that the EPD technologically supported by milling allows obtaining thick and dense deposits (>2 mm). After sintering, the BCZT ceramics with a relative density of >95%, hardness in the range of 2.3–2.9 GPa and piezoelectric coefficients of d33* = 940 pm/V, d33(E=0) = 427 pm/V and d33 = 364 pC/N can be achieved. Reported results also suggest that indirect (field-dependent) and direct (Berlincourt) measurements of the piezoelectric coefficients can be comparable at optimal poling conditions.