Phase formation study in lead-free piezoelectric ceramics based on lanthanum doped bismuth sodium titanate (Bi(0.4871)Na(0.4871-)La(0.0172)TiO(3):BNLT) and zirconium doped barium titanate (BaZr(0.05)Ti(0.95)O(3):BZT), has been carried out in the system of (1-x)BNLT-xBZT where x = 0.0-1.0, by two-step mixed oxide method. It was observed that the addition of BZT in the BNLT ceramics developed the dielectric and piezoelectric properties of the ceramics with the optimum piezoelectric constant (d(33)) and dielectric constant (epsilon(r)) at room temperature of about 138 pC/N and 1651, respectively, from the 0.2 BNLT to 0.8 BZT ceramic sample. The Curie temperature (T(C)) of this ceramic was found at 295 degrees C which is 195 degrees C higher than that of pure BZT ceramics, promising the use of this ceramic in a higher range of temperature. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.