SnO2 modified PNN-PZT ceramics with ultra-high piezoelectric and dielectric properties

Abstract

In this work, a two-step solid-state reaction method is used to prepare the 0.55 Pb(Ni1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.135PbZrO3-0.315PbTiO3/xSnO2 (PNN-PZT/xSnO2) ceramics. The influences of SnO2 on the crystalline structure, electromechanical properties, and temperature stability of PNN-PZT ceramics were studied in detail. The results demonstrate that the Sn4+ ions are successfully introduced into the PNN-PZT crystalline lattice and substitute B-site Ni2+ and Zr4+. The x = 0.0025 ceramic with the coexistence of rhombohedral, tetragonal, and pseudocubic phases exhibits the optimized comprehensive properties: the quasi-static piezoelectric constant d33, large-signal d33*, electromechanical coupling coefficients kp and kt, free dielectric constant εr, and mechanical quality factor Qm are 1123 pC/N, 1250 p.m./V, 0.63, 0.54, 9529, and 57, respectively. Meanwhile, the Curie temperature for this composition is 103 °C, almost maintaining the same level as the PNN-PZT matrix. After annealing at 75 °C, the retained d33 of x = 0.0025 ceramic is as high as 975 pC/N, superior to the PNN-PZT matrix (retained d33 ≈ 873 pC/N). Our results provide a promising piezoelectric material for board bandwidth, high sensitivity, and miniaturized medical ultrasonic transducers applications.