Temperature dependence of the mechanical and electrical properties of soft-doped lead zirconate titanate under compression and impact

Compared to a quasistatic environment, the electromechanical response of piezoelectric ceramics exhibits a considerably nonlinear behavior when subjected to impact. If the effect of ambient temperature is further considered, then the situation becomes more unpredictable. The thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties of soft-doped piezoelectric ceramics (PZT-5H) under compression and impact conditions were analyzed in the temperature range of −60°C to 200°C (below Curie temperature). The experimental results indicate that the fracture strength of PZT-5H has an extreme value near room temperature. The dynamic piezoelectric coefficient is strongly temperature dependent and has a maximum value near 100°C because of the “electric devil’s staircase effect” between polarization and domain switching threshold. These temperature-dependent data will enable the accurate prediction of the dynamic performance of devices by computer simulation.