NKN [(Na,K)NbO3] is a candidate lead-free piezoelectric material to replace PZT [Pb(Zr,Ti)O3]. A single crystal has excellent piezoelectric-properties and its properties are dependent of the crystal orientation direction. However, it is hard to fabricate a single crystal with stoichiometrically stable composition due to volatilization of sodium during the growth process. To solve this problem, a solid solution composition is designed (Na,K)NbO3-Ba(Cu,Nb)O3 and solid state grain growth is studied for a sizable single crystal. Ceramic powders of (Na,K)NbO3-M(Cu,Nb)O3 (M = Ca, Sr, Ba) are synthesized and grain growth behavior is investigated for different temperatures and times. Average normal grain sizes of individual specimens, which are heat-treated at 1,125 oC for 10 h, are 6.9, 2.8, and 1.6 m for M = Ca, Sr, and Ba, respectively. Depending on M, the distortion of NKN structure can be altered. XRD results show that (NKN-CaCuN: shrunken orthorhombic; NKN-SrCuN: orthorhombic; NKN-BaCuN: cubic). For the sample heat-treated at 1,125 oC for 10 h, the maximum grain sizes of individual specimens are measured as 40, 5, and 4,000 m for M = Ca, Sr, and Ba, respectively. This abnormal grain size is related to the partial melting temperature (NKN-CaCuN: 960 oC; NKN-SrCuN: 971 oC; NKN-BaCuN: 945 oC).

Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZT) is used for the various piezoelectric devices owing to its high piezoelectric properties. However, lead (Pb), which is contained in PZT, causes various environment contaminations. (K,Na)NbO3 (NKN) is the most well-known candidate for a lead-free composition to replace PZT. A single crystal has excellent piezoelectric-properties and its properties can be changed by changing the orientation direction. It is hard to fabricate a NKN single crystal due to the sodium and potassium. Thus, (Na,K)NbO3-Ba(Cu,Nb)O3 (NKN-BCuN) is chosen to fabricate the single crystal with relative ease. NKNBCuN pellets consist of two parts, yellow single crystals and gray poly-crystals that contain copper. The area that has a large amount of copper particles may melt at low temperature but not the other areas. The liquid phase may be responsible for the abnormal grain growth in NKN-BCuN ceramics. The dielectric constant and tan δ are measured to be 684 and 0.036 at 1 kHz in NKN-BCuN, respectively. The coercive field and remnant polarization are 14 kV/cm and 20 μC/cm2.

As a candidate for lead-free piezoelectric materials, dense (NKN-5LT) ceramics were developed by conventional sintering process. Sintering temperature was lowered by adding as a sintering aid. The electrical properties of NKN-5LT ceramics were investigated as a function of concentration. At the addition of 1 mol% , electromechanical coupling factor and piezoelectric coefficient of NKN-5LT ceramics were found to reach the highest values of 0.37 and 250 pC/N, respectively.