Temperature-insensitive strain response in Bi(Zn 1/2 Ti 1/2 )O 3 –PbZrO 3 –PbTiO 3 ferroelectric ceramics simultaneously with low hysteresis for high-precision actuators application

Temperature stability and strain hysteresis are two extremely important parameters for high-precision piezoelectric actuators applications. Piezoelectric ceramics with high temperature stability and low strain hysteresis are eagerly expected. In this work, the strain characteristics of x Bi(Zn 1/2 Ti 1/2 )O 3 -(1- x )(0.55PbZrO 3 -0.45PbTiO 3 ) [ x BZT-(1- x )(PZ-PT)] ferroelectric ceramics were investigated meticulously, and temperature-insensitive strain response and low strain hysteresis were simultaneously acquired at x  = 0.15. The strain variation was less than 10% in the temperature range of 30–100 °C and the strain hysteresis was only 6% at 7 kV/mm. The incorporation of BZT transforms the crystal structure of PZ-PT ceramics from morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) to tetragonal phase. Strong relaxation behaviors occurred and a large piezoelectric coefficient of 500 p.m./V at 2 kV/mm were obtained at x  = 0.15. The above merits will make this ferroelectric ceramic an ideal material for the fabrication of high-precision actuators and their use in harsh environment conditions.