Piezoelectric and mechanical properties of Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3–Pb(Y2/3W1/3)O3 (PZT–PYW) ceramics

The piezoelectric and mechanical properties of hot-pressed PZT–PYW were investigated. As the Pb(Y2/3W1/3)O3 concentration increased, the piezoelectric constant (d33) also increased up to a concentration of 3 mol% PYW reaching a value of 485×10-12 CN-1, but beyond this concentration it continuously fell. A decrease in grain size with increasing Pb(Y2/3W1/3)O3 content in the system changed the transgranular fracture mode to an intergranular fracture mode, resulting in an enhancement in K1c from 0.83 MPam1/2 at 1 mol% PYW to 1.1 MPam1/2 at 3 mol% PYW. Consequently, the highest d33 and K1c values were obtained at the composition 0.97Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48) O3–0.03Pb(Y2/3 W1/3)O3.