Outstanding unipolar strain of textured Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–PbZrO3–PbTiO3 piezoelectric ceramics manufactured by particle size distribution control of the plate-like BaTiO3 template

•As-synthesised BT (as-BT) crystals have a wide particle size distribution.•As-BT particles were separated to small rm-BT and large rs-BT by sedimentation.•The rm-BT particles are difficult to orient as desired during tape casting.•The textured PMN–PZ–PT prepared with rs-BT yielded outstanding strain.