Fabrication and evaluation of Pb(W0.5Cu0.5)O3 modified PLZT piezoelectric ceramics

In this paper, we report the fabrication and evaluation of novel piezoelectric ceramics based on modification of Pb0.9025La0.065(Zr0.58Ti0.42)0.975Nb0.02O3 (PLZT) with Pb(W0.5Cu0.5)O3 (PWC). First, PWC was mixed with PLZT in suspensions at various concentrations (0–10 wt%) using conventional mixed-oxide method and then sintered at temperature ranging from 950–1150 °C. The resultant samples of PWC-modified PLZT ceramics were subsequently evaluated for the effects of PWC doping on the microstructure, piezoelectric and dielectric properties, and sintering temperature of the PLZT ceramics. It was observed that doping with PWC generally promoted the sintering conditions, and thus greatly influenced the electric properties including piezoelectric constant d33, dielectric permittivity εr and electromechanical coefficient kp of the modified PLZT ceramics. Taken together, the results indicate that the optimal sintering condition for PWC-modified PLZT ceramics was estimated to be at 1150 °C with PWC doping at 4 wt%. Consequently, the PWC-modified PLZT may potentially provide an excellent piezoelectric ceramics for manufacturing ultrasonic sensors and capacitors.