MICROSTRUCTURE OF ALKOXIDE-PREPARED LEAD ZIRCONATE TITANATE ACTUATOR

A low-hysteresis lead zirconate titanate (PZT) actuator with fine-grained ceramics is realized by an alkoxide method followed by a hot isostatic press (HIP) or a hot-press method. The HIP or the hot-press method is effective for increasing the density of the fine-grained actuator without further grain growth. It is concluded from the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations that the fine-grained ceramics are composed of grains with a size of around 1 mum, which include still smaller particles ranging from 20 nm to 30 nm in size. The smaller particles seem to be traces of the boundaries of the alkoxide-prepared starting powders. The improved hysteresis characteristics may be related to the traces left in the component grains.