• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.198-202
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• 2009

For use in ultrasonic actuators, we investigated the structural and piezoelectric properties of $(1\;-\;x)Pb(Zr_{0.515}Ti_{0.485})O_3$ - $xPb(Sb_{1/2}Nb_{1/2})O_3$ + 0.5 wt% $MnO_2$ [(1 - x)PZT - xPSN + $MnO_2$] ceramics with a variation of x (x = 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08). All the ceramics, which were sintered at $1250^{\circ}C$ for 2 h, showed a typical perovskite structure, implying that they were well synthesized. A homogeneous micro structure was also developed for the specimens, and their average grain size was slightly decreased to $1.3{\mu}m$ by increasing x to 0.8. Moreover, a second phase with a pyrochlore structure appeared when x was above 0.06, which resulted in the deterioration of their piezoelectric properties. However, the 0.96PZT-0.04PSN+$MnO_2$ ceramics, which corresponds with a morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) composition in the (1 - x)PZT - xPSN + $MnO_2$ system, exhibited good piezoelectric properties: a piezoelectric constant ($d_{33}$) of 325 pC/N, an electromechanical coupling factor ($k_p$) of 70.8%, and a mechanical quality factor ($Q_m$) of 1779. The specimens with a relatively high curie temperature ($T_c$) of $305^{\circ}C$ also showed a significantly high dielectric constant (${\varepsilon}_r$) value of 1109. Therefore, the 0.96PZT - 0.04PSN + $MnO_2$ ceramics are suitable for use in ultrasonic vibrators.