Low temperature sintering of ZnO-doped 0.01Pb(Mg1/2W1/2)O-3-0.41Pb(Ni1/3Nb2/3)O-3-0.35PbTiO(3)-0.23PbZrO(3) ceramics

Abstract

ZnO was added to 0.01Pb(Mg1/2W1/2)O-3-0.4Pb(Ni1/3Nb2/3)O-3-0.35PbTiO(3)-0.23PbZrO(3) (0.01PMW-0.4PNN-0.35PT-0.23PZ) ceramics to reduce their sintering temperatures to below 900 degrees C. The effects of the ZnO additive on the densification and piezoelectric properties of the PMW-PNN-PT-PZ + 0.1 wt% Y2O3 + x wt% ZnO (0 <= x <= 2.5) ceramics were investigated. The structure of the PMW-PNN-PT-PZ ceramics was found to change from pseudocubic to tetragonal as their ZnO content was increased. The piezoelectric constant, the mechanical quality factor, and the electromechanical factor of the ceramics increased as their ZnO content increased. The optimum piezoelectric properties were found to be d(33) = 594 pC/N, k(p) = 57%, and Q(m) = 64, for PMW-PNN-PT-PZ + 0.1 wt% Y2O3 + 1.5 wt% ZnO sintered at 900 degrees C for 2 h.