Properties of 0.015PSN–0.3PNN–0.685PZT ceramics near morphotropic phase boundary

• The MPB of new 0.015PSN–0.3PNN–0.685PZT ceramics was studied.
• Excellent electrical properties of PSN–PNN–PZT: d33=643 pC/N, Kp=0.67, ε33T/ε0=4349.
• Giant reversible strain of 0.258% under low electric field (0.8 kV/mm).
• The relationship between composition and properties was investigated.

In this work 0.015Pb(Sb1/2Nb1/2)O3–0.3Pb(Ni1/3Nb2/3)O3–0.685Pb(ZrxTi1−x)O3 (x=0.42–0.44) ceramics were prepared by a conventional mixed oxide method. The morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) of 0.015PSN–0.3PNN–0.685PZT ceramics with a variable Zr/Ti was investigated. The MPB composition (x=0.43) possessed high performances. The optimal electric properties of the specimen with Zr/Ti=43/57 were obtained by sintering for 2 h at 1240 °C: d33=643 pC/N, Kp=0.67, ε33T/ε0=4349, tan δ=1.67%, Tc=229 °C, Pr=33.53 μC/cm2. Particularly, the specimen with MPB composition whose normalized strain Smax/Emax can extend up to 1613 pm/V under a considerable low electric field (0.8 kV/mm)exhibited a superior reversible strain of 0.258%, showing great potentials for large-displacement actuator applications.