High Energy Density Piezoelectric Ceramics for Energy Harvesting Devices

The ceramics, (0.65 + y)Pb(Zr0.47Ti0.53)–(0.35 − y)Pb[(Ni1−xZnx)1/3Nb2/3]O3 have a morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) of pseudo‐cubic and tetragonal structures. Their ε33T/ε0 value considerably decreased on the pseudo‐cubic side of the MPB composition, but the d33 and kp slowly decreased on both sides of the MPB. Therefore, the maximum transduction coefficient (d33 * g33) was obtained from the composition on the pseudo‐cubic side of the MPB, because g33 is given by d33/ε33T. This result could be applied to other systems containing an MPB of pseudo‐cubic and tetragonal structures. Furthermore, a d33 * g33 value of 20 056 × 10−15 m2/N, which is the highest value reported so far for polycrystalline ceramics, was obtained from the 0.68Pb(Zr0.47Ti0.53)O3–0.32Pb(Ni0.6Zn0.4)1/3Nb2/3O3 ceramic.