Low-temperature sintering and properties of (Pb, Ba, Sr)(Zr, Ti, Sb)O3 piezoelectric ceramics using sintering aids

Low-temperature sintering of (Pb0.86Ba0.04Sr0.12)(Zr0.56Ti0.44Sb0.02)O-3 (PBSZT) powders was investigated using Pb5Ge3O11 (PGO) or LiBiO2 (LBiO) as sintering aids. 1 wt% PGO or 1 wt% LBiO-added PBSZT powders could be densified into sintered bodies at 800 degrees C for 2 h with a relative density of approximately 96%. The addition of PGO or LBiO significantly improved the sinterability of PBSZT powders, resulting in a reduction of sintering temperature by about 200 degrees C. Dielectric and piezoelectric properties of LBiO-added PBSZT ceramics were superior to those fabricated without sintering aids. However. the addition of PGO was not effective in improving the dielectric and piezoelectric properties. This may be attributable to the microstructural change involving the solid solution reaction between the PBSZT matrix and the PGO additive. The 1 wt% LBiO-added PBSZT bodies sintered at 1000 degrees C exhibited a dielectric constant of 2600, remanent polarization of 14.7 mu C/cm(2), and longitudinal strain of 0.24%.