Low-temperature sintering of Nb-modified PMS-PZT ceramics for enhanced piezoelectric properties and high curie temperature

Multilayer piezoelectric ceramics employing base metals such as copper as inner electrodes are ideal for components like micro-displacement actuators and ultrasonic motors, which require materials possessing high piezoelectric performance, high Curie temperature, and low sintering temperature. In this study, by introducing a ternary composite additive of Li₂CO₃-CuO-Nb₂O₅ into the 0.075Pb(Mn 1/3 Sb 2/3 )O 3 -0.925Pb(Zr 0.48 Ti 0.52 )O 3 (PMS-PZT) system, PMS–PZT ceramics with excellent overall properties were successfully fabricated at a sintering temperature of 950 °C, exhibiting d 33 = 361.2 pC/N, Tc= 339.8 ℃, tanδ= 0.6%, Q m = 668.8, k p = 0.65. The effects of sintering temperature on the structure and properties of the ceramics were systematically investigated. The synergistic action of Li 2 CO 3 and CuO effectively reduced the sintering temperature and facilitated the incorporation of Nb into the B-site at relatively low temperatures, thereby significantly enhancing the piezoelectric performance and Curie temperature of the material. This work not only provides an effective low‑temperature sintering approach for the PMS–PZT ceramic system, but also offers important references for the selection of material systems and additives in the development of multilayer piezoelectric devices.