Thermal stability and electric-field-induced strain behaviors for PIN-PSN-PT piezoelectric ceramics

Pb (In_1/2Nb_1/2) O₃-Pb (Sc_1/2Nb_1/2) O₃-PbTiO₃ (PIN-PSN-PT) ternary ceramics with compositions near morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) were fabricated by solid-state-sintering process. Dielectric and piezoelectric properties of xPIN-yPSN-zPT (x = 0.19, 0.23 and z = 0.365, 0.385) ceramics were investigated as a function of temperature, showing high T_r-t and T_c on the order of 160 ~ 200°C and 280 ~ 290°C, respectively. The xPIN-yPSN-0.365PT (x = 0.19 and 0.23) ceramics do not depolarize at the temperature up to 200°C, showing a better thermal stability when compared to the state-of-the-art relaxor-PbTiO₃ systems. A slight variation (<9%) of k_p, k_t, and k₃₃ was observed in the temperature range of 25°C-160°C for xPIN-yPSN-0.385PT (x = 0.19 and 0.23) ceramics. Rayleigh analysis was employed to quantify the contribution of domain wall motion to piezoelectric response, where the domain wall contribution was found to increase with composition approaching MPB for PIN-PSN-PT system.