Properties of Modified Lead Zirconate Titanate Ceramics Prepared at Low Temperature (800°C) by Hot Isostatic Pressing

High‐density lead zirconate titanate (PZT) ceramics were fabricated for the first time at a temperature as low as 800°C via the hot isostatic pressing (HIP) of a PZT powder with a modified composition of 0.92Pb(Zr0.53Ti0.47)O3—0.05BiFeO3—0.03Ba(Cu0.5W0.5)O3 that contained 0.5 mass% MnO2. The resultant PZT ceramics exhibited a microstructure that was denser and finer than that of PZT sintered at 935°C, which is the lowest temperature for the densification of the same composition via normal sintering. The relevant dielectric and piezoelectric properties of the HIPed PZT ceramics were as follows: coefficient of electromechanical coupling (K31), 31.8%; mechanical quality factor (Qm), 1364; piezoelectric constant (d31), −73.7 × 10−12 C/N; relative dielectric constant (ɛ33T/ɛ0), 633; dielectric loss factor (tan δ), 0.5%; Curie temperature (Tc), 285°C; and density (ρ), 8.06 g/cm3. In addition to these reasonably good piezoelectric properties, the HIPed PZT exhibited better mechanical properties—particularly, higher fracture strength—than the normally sintered PZT.