Effect of High-Energy Milling Process on Microstructure and Piezoelectric/Dielectric Properties of 0.99Pb(Zr0.53Ti0.47)O3-0.01BiYO3 Ceramic for Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting Devices

A piezoelectric ceramic, 0.99Pb(Zr0.53Ti0.47)O-3-0.01BiYO(3) [PZT-BY], was fabricated via high-energy milling (HEM) and conventional ball milling methods. The HEM process improved the reaction activity and homogeneity of the materials used throughout the process and reduced the calcination temperature by 150 degrees C compared with the conventional process. The effects of the HEM process on the microstructure, dielectric, and piezoelectric properties of the PZT-BY ceramic were systematically investigated. The modified method using HEM resulted in a high d(33) of 315 pC/N and k(p) of 63%, with a low K-33(T) of 684, whereas the conventional process had values of 280 pC/N, 56%, and 748 respectively. In addition, piezoelectric voltage constant (g(33)), and transduction coefficient (d(33) x g(33)) have also been evaluated. The large (d(33) x g(33)) of 16,568 x 10(-15) m(2)/N indicates that the PZT-BY ceramic fabricated by the HEM process is a good candidate material for energy harvesting devices.