(K,Na)NbO3 lead-free piezoelectric ceramics synthesized from hydrothermal powders

Among various lead-free piezoelectric materials, (K,Na)NbO$_{3}$ is a very promising candidate. In this study, (K,Na)NbO$_{3}$ ceramics were sintered from mixed (K,Na)NbO$_{3}$ and NaNbO$_{3}$ powders prepared by hydrothermal reaction. These two powders were mixed with distilled water in a KNbO$_{3}$/NaNbO$_{3}$ molar ratio of 1. After sintering the mixed powder, the solid solution of (Na,K)NbO$_{3}$ ceramics was obtained. The electrical properties such as the electromechanical coupling factors k$_{p}$ and k$_{33}$, the mechanical quality factor, Q$_{m}$, and the piezoelectric constant d$_{33}$ of the sintered (K,Na)NbO$_{3}$ ceramics were 0.32, 0.48, 71 (radial mode), 118 ((33)mode), and 107 pC/N, respectively.