Dense Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.42Sn0.02Nb0.04)O3 high-performance piezoceramics were prepared by spark plasma sintering. Phase structure, domain structure, and temperature-dependent electrical properties were systematically investigated. The spark-plasma-sintered ceramics possess a pure perovskite structure with rhombohedral-tetragonal (R-T) phase boundaries and a high Curie temperature of 347 °C. Reliable performance against temperature was observed. First, high strain behavior with a normalized strain d33* of 640 and 710 pm/V occurred at 25 and 150 °C, respectively, varying less than 11%. Besides, a large remnant polarization Pr of 36.9 μC/cm2 is observed at room temperature and varies less than 18% within the temperature range of 25-150 °C. In addition, an enhanced piezoelectric coefficient d33 of ∼460 pm/V was attained at a high temperature of 150 °C, manifesting a 40% enhancement with respect to the d33 value (330 pm/V) obtained at room temperature.
Keywords: electrical properties; lead-based; piezoceramics; spark plasma sintering; temperature reliability.