High Piezoelectricity of Multicomponent Lead-Based Ceramics with High Temperature Stability

The design of the composition and adjustment of multicomponents to achieve a high chemical disorder are the important strategies for obtaining high piezoelectricity at a high depolarization temperature, which is conducive to a wide range of electromechanical applications. Here, the solid-state reaction method is used to prepare PZT-based piezoelectric ceramics; the replacement of A/B site ions by multielements flattens the ferroelectric free energy, which realized the high piezoelectric coefficient d(33) of similar to 1000 pC/N at a good Curie temperature T-C of 128 degrees C and the depolarization temperature TFE-FE of 105 degrees C. The microstructure of the ferroelectric phase and ferroelectric domain is systematically characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, piezoresponse force microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The atomic-scale substitutions of the A/B site-disordered elements break the long-range polarization order with the accompanied Pb vacancies. The excess Ni2+ ions can regulate the grain growth, and the valence of Sb changed from Sb3+ to Sb-,(5+) which is able to induce Pb2+ vacancies. These synergistic effects of grain size and vacancy structure optimize the piezoelectric properties and temperature stability.

Automated summary

The design and adjustment of multicomponents to achieve chemical disorder were used to prepare high piezoelectric PZT-based ceramics. The substitution of A/B site ions by multielements resulted in high piezoelectric coefficient at a good Curie temperature and depolarization temperature. The microstructure analysis revealed the broken polarization order and the presence of vacancies which contributed to the optimization of the piezoelectric properties and temperature stability.