High temperature stability in Li2CO3-doped PYN-PZT co-fired multilayer piezoelectric actuators

Abstract

Improving the performance stability of piezoelectric ceramic materials over a wide temperature range, especially at high temperatures, is a challenge and a research hotspot. In this study, the outstanding piezoelectric, dielectric, and ferroelectric properties of 0.15Pb(Yb_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃-0.37PbZrO₃-0.48PbTiO₃ (PYN-PZT) ceramics are achieved by introducing the sintering additive Li₂CO₃. These ceramics achieved excellent performance (d₃₃ = 459 pC/N, d₃₃* = 573 pm/V, T_C = 401 °C) at 1100 °C, which enables co-firing with the internal electrode. Furthermore, they demonstrate excellent temperature stability (Variation = 5.84 %) over a wide temperature range (30–190 °C). Subsequently, PYN-PZT+ 0.05Li multilayer piezoelectric actuators (MLAs), with dimensions of 7 × 7 × 36 mm, were fabricated using the tape casting method. The PYN-PZT+ 0.05Li-MLAs exhibit superior performance (S = 0.0689 %) and temperature stability (Variation = 9.87 %) across the temperature range (30–190 °C) and retain 88.5 % of their performance at 270 °C. The service temperature and temperature stability are significantly higher than those of previously reported materials and commercial actuators, suggesting that the PYN-PZT+ 0.05Li-MLAs hold great promise for significantly expanding the high-temperature range of MLAs.