Piezoelectric Properties of Li-Doped (K0.48Na0.52)NbO3 Ceramics Synthesized Using Hydrothermally-Derived KNbO3 and NaNbO3 Fine Powders

[$Li_x(Na_0.52K_0.48)_1-x]NbO_3 (0 \leq x \leq 0.091)$ ceramics were synthesized using hydrothermal powders and the lithium doping content was controlled to optimize their piezoelectric properties. The raw KNbO$_3$ and NaNbO$_3$ powders were obtained separately by a hydrothermal method and LiNbO$_3$ powders were prepared by milling a commercial LiNbO$_3$ single crystal. These powders were mixed with ethanol at a molar ratio LiNbO$_3$: ($Na_0.52K_0.48$)NbO$_3 = x : 1-x$. The synthesized powders were sintered at 1060--1120 $\,^{\circ}$C for 2 h. We succeeded in obtaining highly dense [$Li_x(Na_0.52K_0.48)_1-x]NbO_3$ ceramics using hydrothermal powder. The X-ray diffraction patterns revealed that the crystal phase changed from orthorhombic to tetragonal at around x = 0.06. At this morphotropic phase boundary (MPB), the c/a ratio changed from 1.016 to 1.024 and the highest piezoelectric constant was obtained with the chemical component of [$Li_x(Na_0.52K_0.48)_1-x]NbO_3$. The obtained piezoelectric properties were as follows: $k_33 = 0.51, \epsilon 33^T/ \epsilon _0 = 836$ , $c_33^E = 46$ GPa, $d_33 = 203$ pC/N, and $T_c = 482 $\,^{\circ}$C$.