Lead-free environmentally friendly piezoelectrical materials with enhanced piezoelectric properties are of great significance for high-resolution ultrasound imaging applications. In this paper, Na0.5Bi4.5Ti3.86Mn0.06Nb0.08O15+y (NBT-Nb-Mn) bismuth-layer-structured ceramics were prepared by solid-phase synthesis. The crystallographic structure, micromorphology, and piezoelectrical and electromechanical properties of NBT-Nb-Mn ceramics were examined, showing their enhanced piezoelectricity (d33 = 33 pC/N) and relatively high electromechanical coupling coefficient (kt = 0.4). The purpose of this article is to describe the development of single element ultrasonic transducers based on these piezoelectric ceramics. The as-prepared high-frequency tightly focused transducer (ƒ-number = 1.13) had an electromechanical coupling coefficient of 0.48. The center frequency was determined to be 37.4 MHz and the −6 dB bandwidth to be 47.2%. According to the B-mode imaging experiment of 25 μm tungsten wires, lateral resolution of the transducer was calculated as 56 μm. Additionally, the experimental results were highly correlated to the results simulated by COMSOL software. By scanning a coin, the imaging effect of the transducer was further evaluated, demonstrating the application advantages of the prepared transducer in the field of high-sensitivity ultrasound imaging.
In this work, Na0.5Bi4.5Ti3.94–xMn0.06NbxO15+y bismuth‐layered ferroelectric ceramics were prepared by a solid‐state reaction method. The effect of Nb5+ content on crystal morphology, electrical properties, and piezoelectric performance were systematically investigated. The results show that the introduction of Nb5+ into Na0.5Bi4.5Ti3.94–xMn0.06NbxO15+y ceramics to replace Ti4+ increases the ratio of b/a lattice parameter, leading to the TiO6 octahedral distortion and the structural transformation tendency from the orthorhombic to tetragonal phase, which facilitates dipole movements of Na0.5Bi4.5Ti3.94–xMn0.06NbxO15+y ceramics. Therefore, the ferroelectric properties of Na0.5Bi4.5Ti3.94–xMn0.06NbxO15+y ceramics are improved, and an enhanced piezoelectric coefficient of 30 pC/N combining great temperature stability with d33 value higher than 25 pC/N in the temperature range of 25°C–450°C has been realized in Na0.5Bi4.5Ti3.94–xMn0.06NbxO15+y ceramics with x = 0.08 mol. Our work provides a good model for designing lead‐free ultrahigh Curie temperature piezoelectric devices that can be practically applied in extremely harsh environments.
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