Effects of BiFeO3 addition on electrical properties and temperature stability of low temperature sintered PZT–PFW–PMN ceramics

Pb(Zr,Ti)O3–Pb(Fe2/3W1/3)O3–Pb(Mn1/3Nb2/3)O3 (PZT–PFW–PMN) ceramics doped with BiFeO3 as sintering aids were manufactured in order to develop the low temperature sintering ceramics for piezoelectric devices, and phase structure, microstructure, dielectric, piezoelectric properties and the temperature stability were investigated. The results show that addition of BiFeO3 significantly improved the sinterability of PZT–PFW–PMN ceramics and could decrease the sintering temperature from 1200 to 1020 °C. The 0.20 wt.% BiFeO3-added PZT–PFW–PMN ceramics sintered at 1020 °C exhibited the favorable piezoelectric and dielectric properties, which were listed as follows: d33 = 309 pC/N, Kp = 0.59, Qm = 1551, tan δ = 0.0056, ɛr = 1723, Tc = 308 °C, Δfr/fr25°C = 0.331% and ΔKp/Kp25°C = −0.564%. The obtained properties make this composition to be a good candidate for high power piezoelectric devices.