Boosting piezoelectricity and resistivity of Bi4Ti3O12-based high-temperature ceramics using (Zn1/2W1/2)4+ ion-pair co-doping

Bi 4 Ti 3 O 12 -based high-temperature piezoceramics are promising for applications in harsh environments such as aerospace and oil exploration. However, their low piezoelectric coefficient ( d 33 ) and high leakage current at elevated temperatures limit their use. Herein, a B-site isovalent ion-pair co-doping strategy is proposed. Ferroelectric active Zn 2+ and higher-valent W 6+ are co-introduced in a nominal (Zn 1/2 W 1/2 ) 4+ ion-pair substitution scheme to isovalently replace the B-site Ti 4+ in the Bi 3.96 Ce 0.04 Ti 3 O 12 matrix, thereby enhancing d 33 and resistivity ( ρ ) while maintaining a high Curie temperature ( T C ). The optimal ceramic Bi 3.96 Ce 0.04 Ti 2.95 (Zn 1/2 W 1/2 ) 0.05 O 12 achieves a balanced performance profile: a respectable d 33 of 28.9 pC/N, a high T C of 654 °C, and an excellent resistivity of 8.5 × 10 6 Ω·cm at 500 °C. This balanced combination of properties is attributed to the synergistic effect of Zn 2+ and W 6+ , which promotes grain growth, enhances polarization, and reduces the concentration of mobile oxygen vacancies. This work offers a promising material for high-temperature piezoelectric applications.