PIEZOELECTRIC PROPERTIES OF PZT CERAMICS SINTERED AT LOW-TEMPERATURE WITH COMPLEX-OXIDE ADDITIVES

Low temperature firing of 0.5 wt% MnO2-added Pb (Zr0.53Ti0.47)O3 (PZT) ceramics is desirable for suppressing the volatilization of PbO. The effect of two additives, BiFeO3 and Ba(Cu0.5W0.5)O3, both with the per ovskite-type structure on the sintering temperature and piezoelectric properties of the PZT ceramics has been investigated. The addition of two complex oxides lowered the sintering temperature and improved piez oelectric properties. Simultaneous addition of CuO improved the piezoe lectric properties. A 0.92PZT-0.05 BiFeO3-0.03Ba(Cu0.5W0.5)O3 ceramics including 0.08 wt% CuO ceramics sintered at 935-degrees-C for 30 min gave the following characteristics; K(p) = 47.0%, Q(m) = 950, d33 = 23 6 x 10(-12) C/N, epsilon(T)33/epsilon0 = 850, tan delta = 1.0%, T(c) = 290-degrees-C, and bulk density = 7.66 g/cm3.