Porosity-Graded Piezoelectric Ceramics: Processing and Electric-Induced Displacement

Uniformly porous and porosity-graded piezoelectric ceramics were prepared by sintering powder compacts consisting of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) and organic material powders as pore-forming agents (PFA) in air atmosphere. The dielectric, elastic and piezoelectric properties of uniformly porous PZT ceramics were investigated as a function of the porosity volume fraction. The electric-field-induced deflection characteristics of the beam-shaped actuator samples were measured with electric strain gages, and compared with the values calculated from the modified classical laminate theory using the elastic and piezoelectric constants of the non-FGM porous PZT ceramics.