Processing, microstructure, electrical properties and cytotoxic behaviour of lead-free 0.99K0.5Na0.5NbO3-0.01BiFeO3 piezoceramics prepared using Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS)

In this work, “lead free” 0.99K0.5Na0.5NbO3-0.01BiFeO3 (KNN–BF) piezoceramics were prepared by a combination of mechanochemical activation, Spark Plasma Sintering and post-annealing treatment. Results show that the annealing treatment causes important microstructural electrical changes. The SPS sample was characterized low resistance, while air annealed samples showed better insulating properties due to partial compensation oxygen vacancy. best piezoelectric found for at 1000 1050 ​°C 2h optimum grain size vacancy achieved. A further enhancement dielectric achieved through second in flux 30 ​min. Moreover, toxicity pellets evaluated exposure experiments pulverized KNN–BF pellets, employing two widely used human environmental cellular models.