Piezoceramic Materials

Piezo Materials Based on Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT)

PI Ceramic provides a wide selection of piezoelectric ceramic materials based on modified lead zirconate titanate (PZT) and barium titanate. The designations of "soft" and "hard" piezo ceramics refer to the mobility of the dipoles or domains and hence also to the polarization and depolarization behavior. For actuator applications, ferroelectrically soft piezoceramics with low polarity reversal field strengths are used. Ferroelectrically hard PZT materials are primarily used in high-power acoustic applications. In addition, PI Ceramic offers lead-free piezo ceramics, currently used especially as ultrasonic transducers, and a crystalline actuator material.

For application-specific properties, actuators and transducers can be manufactured from special materials, although the technical implementation has to be checked individually.

The material properties are classified according to the EN 50324 European Standard.

Soft Piezoelectric Materials

Ideal for Piezo Actuators and Sensors

Ferroelectrically soft piezo ceramic materials can be polarized fairly easily even at relatively low field strengths. This is due to the comparably high domain mobility typical for them. The advantages of soft PZT materials are their large piezoelectric charge coefficient, moderate permittivities and high coupling factors.

 

Applications

Important fields of application for soft piezo ceramics are: Actuators for micropositioning and nanopositioning, sensors, such as conventional vibration detectors, ultrasonic transmitters and receivers, e.g., for flow or level measurement, object identification or monitoring, as well as for electro-acoustic applications as sound transducers and microphones, and also as sound pickups on musical instruments.

Material Properties and Classification



PIC151Standard material for actuators of the PICA Stack/Thru and Piezo Tubes series
Material Modified lead zirconate titanate 
Characteristics                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                High permittivity, large coupling factor, high piezoelectric charge coefficient, relatively high Curie temperature      
 Suitable for                                                                                                                                                  Actuators, low-power ultrasonic transducers, low-frequency sound transducers 
Classification in accordance with EN 50324-1600
MIL-Standard DOD-STD-1376AII

PIC255Standard material for PICA Power, DuraAct, PICA Shear, and Piezo Tubes series
MaterialModified lead zirconate titanate
Characteristics                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Very high Curie temperature, moderate permittivity, high coupling factor, high charge coefficient, low mechanical quality factor, low temperature coefficient, relatively high polarity reversal field strength (>1 kV/mm)       
Suitable for                                                                                                                                                 Actuator applications for dynamic operating conditions and high ambient temperatures, low-power ultrasonic transducers, nonresonant broadband systems, force and acoustic pickup sensors
Classification in accordance with EN 50324-1200
MIL-Standard DOD-STD-1376AII
PIC155
MaterialModified lead zirconate titanate
Characteristics                                                                                                                                                          Very high Curie temperature, moderate permittivity, low mechanical quality factor, low temperature coefficient, high sensitivity (g coefficients)                                                                                         
Suitable forApplications which require a high g coefficient (piezoelectric voltage coefficient), e.g., for microphones and vibration pickups with preamplifier, vibration measurements at low frequencies
Classification in accordance with EN 50324-1200
MIL-Standard DOD-STD-1376AII

PIC153Material for special actuators of the PICA Stack/Thru series and for glued bending actuators
MaterialModified lead zirconate titanate
Characteristics                                                                            Extremely high permittivity and coupling factors, high charge coefficient, Curie temperature around 185 °C       
Suitable forHydrophones, transducers in medical diagnostics and PZT translators
Classification in accordance with EN 50324-1600
MIL-Standard DOD-STD-1376AVI

PIC152                                     
MaterialModified lead zirconate titanate
CharacteristicsPermittivity with extremely low temperature coefficient                                                      
Suitable forForce and acceleration transducers                              
Classification in accordance with EN 50324-1200
MIL-Standard DOD-STD-1376AII

Hard Piezoelectric Materials

High-Performance Material for Ultrasonic Transducers

Ferroelectrically hard PZT materials can be subjected to high electrical and mechanical stresses. Their properties hardly change under these conditions. 

The advantages of these materials are their moderate permittivity, large piezoelectric coupling factors, high mechanical qualities, and very good stability under high mechanical loads and operating field strengths. Low dielectric losses facilitate their continuous use in resonance mode with only low intrinsic heating of the component.

 

Applications

Especially high-power acoustic applications benefit from the properties of hard piezo materials. Examples of their fields of application include ultrasonic cleaning (typically in the kHz frequency range), the machining of materials (ultrasonic welding, bonding, drilling, etc.), ultrasonic processors (e.g., to disperse liquid media), the medical sector (ultrasonic tartar removal, surgical instruments, etc.) and sonar technology.

Material Properties and Classification

 

PIC181                                     
MaterialModified lead zirconate titanate
Characteristics                                                                                        Extremely high mechanical quality factor, good temperature, and time stability of its dielectric and elasticity constants          
Suitable forHigh-power acoustic applications, resonance-mode ultrasonic applications
Classification in accordance with EN 50324-1100
MIL-Standard DOD-STD-1376AI

PIC184                                     
MaterialModified lead zirconate titanate
Characteristics                                                                                        Large electromechanical coupling factor, moderately high quality factor, excellent mechanical and electrical stability             
Suitable forHigh-power ultrasound applications, hydroacoustics, sonar technology
Classification in accordance with EN 50324-1100
MIL-Standard DOD-STD-1376AI

PIC144                                     
MaterialModified lead zirconate titanate
Characteristics                                                                                    Large electromechanical coupling factor, high quality factor, excellent mechanical and electrical stability, high compressive resistance
Suitable for                                                                                                       High-power ultrasound applications, hydroacoustics, sonar technology
Classification in accordance with EN 50324-1100
MIL-Standard DOD-STD-1376AI

PIC241                                     
MaterialModified lead zirconate titanate
Characteristics                                                                                        High mechanical quality factor, higher permittivity than PIC181                                                                                                        
Suitable forHigh-power acoustic applications, piezomotor drives                                                                            
Classification in accordance with EN 50324-1100
MIL-Standard DOD-STD-1376AI

PIC300                                     
MaterialModified lead zirconate titanate
Characteristics                                                                                        Very high Curie temperature                                                                                                                                                                
Suitable forUse at temperatures up to 250 °C (briefly up to 300 °C)                                                           
Classification in accordance with EN 50324-1100
MIL-Standard DOD-STD-1376AI

Lead-Free Piezoelectric Materials

In addition to series components made of PZT, PI Ceramic also offers components made of >> lead-free materials from the bismuth sodium titanate (BNT) and potassium sodium niobate (KNN) systems. Currently, both systems include various materials at different levels of technological maturity. These are available for custom application developments.
There are only a few restrictions in shaping, so that a lead-free alternative is possible for a large number of lead-containing components in the corresponding basic geometry. Especially in resonant applications, lead-free piezoceramics can be an alternative to lead-containing materials. First positive results can be demonstrated for, e.g., micropumps, ultrasonic nebulizers, and power ultrasonic transducers as well as sensors. Experience to date shows that lead-free materials behave differently in applications than PZT ceramics. For this reason, it is usually necessary to adjust the parameters and geometric dimensions for each application and to retest the long-term stability. This allows PI Ceramic to work with our customers to achieve the best application-specific results.

Bismuth Sodium Titanate (BNT)

BNT materials are particularly well suited for thickness oscillation applications and perform well in the field of air bubble detection and flow sensor technology.  For applications that utilize planar vibration, however, BNT materials are not suitable. The PI Ceramic BNT materials feature a high depolarization temperature. Therefore, unlike many other materials on the market, they can be processed by low-melting soldering or with thermosetting adhesives.

Potassium Sodium Niobate (KNN)

KNN components can also be easily soldered and bonded, but also have good planar properties compared to BNT components.  They can therefore be used as an alternative to PZT components in air ultrasonic sensors, power ultrasonic transducers, nebulizer units, multilayer actuators, and ultrasonic motors.

For the manufacturing of piezo components, PI Ceramic uses only materials that have a better environmental footprint than PZT.  PI Ceramic works with its customers to develop suitable components using lead-free materials.

Material Data

Datasheet

Material Data

Version / Date
2024-08
pdf - 77 KB
Version / Date
2024-08
pdf - 79 KB

Temperature Dependence of the Coefficients

Temperature curve of the capacitance C

Temperature curve of the resonant frequency of the longitudinal oscillation fs

Temperature curve of the coupling factor of the transverse oscillation k31

Temperature curve of the piezoelectric charge coefficient d31

Specific Characteristics

Thermal Properties Using PZT Ceramic PIC255 as Example

The thermal strain exhibits different behavior in the polarization direction and perpendicularly to it.

Nonpolarized piezoceramic elements are isotropic. The coefficient of expansion is approximately linear at a temperature coefficient of approx 2 × 10-6 / K.

The preferred orientation of the domains in a polarized PZT body leads to anisotropy, which is the cause of the varying thermal expansion behavior.

The effect of successive temperature changes must be taken into account in the application. Large changes in the curve can occur particularly in the first temperature cycle.

Depending on the material, it is possible that the curves deviate strongly from those illustrated.

MaterialPI CeramicCompany ACompany BCompany CCompany DCompany ECompany FCompany G
Soft-PZTPIC151Sonox P515600PZT5J-seriesNCE56K500
Soft-PZTPIC152Sonox P502NCE53PZ23
Soft-PZTPIC153855Sonox P535700PZT5H1, PZT5H2NCE55PZ29K550
Soft-PZTPIC155
Soft-PZTPIC254Sonox P504
Soft-PZTPIC255850Sonox P55500PZT5A-seriesNCE51, NCE51fPZ27, P188K350
Hard-PZTPIC144840Sonox P45400PZT400NCE40, NCE41PZ26, P762K270
Hard-PZTPIC181880Sonox P8, P885800PZT800 seriesNCE80, NCE81PZ28, P189K278
Hard-PZTPIC184840Sonox P45400PZT400 seriesNCE40PZ26, P762K270
Hard-PZTPIC300Sonox P6



 

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