Piezoelectric ceramic material multi-layered component and method for the production of a ceramic material

1. A piezoelectric ceramic material having a general composition of ABO 3 , the piezoelectric ceramic material comprising:

lead zirconate titanate having a perovskite lattice structure, wherein A stands for A positions in the perovskite lattice structure and B stands for B positions in the perovskite lattice structure, the lead zirconate titanate comprising at least a proportion of lead zirconate titanate of Pb 1−3x/2−y/2 SE x γ x/2−y/2 Cu I y (Zr 0.5515−z Ti 0.4485+z )O 3 , wherein:

γ is a vacancy in a crystal lattice of the lead zirconate titanate;

a value of x is from about 0.01 to about 0.04;

a value of y is from about 0 to about the value of x divided by two;

SE is a rare-earth metal selected from the group consisting of La, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tu, Yb, Lu and Y,

x is determined by a valence of the rare-earth metal, and

z is selected based on the value of y such that the piezoelectric ceramic material corresponds to a morphotropic phase boundary.

2. The piezoelectric ceramic material of claim 1 , wherein Cu is in the perovskite lattice structure of the piezoelectric ceramic material at least partially in the A positions.

3. The piezoelectric ceramic material of claim 2 , wherein the Cu inserted in A positions is a monovalent, positive cation Cu+.

4. The piezoelectric ceramic material of claim 1 , wherein the piezoelectric ceramic material comprises Pb 0.96 Nd 0.02 Cu 0.02 (Zr 0.5515 Ti 0.4485 )O 3 .

5. A method for producing a ceramic material according to claim 1 , the method comprising:

preparing a materials mixture that includes copper oxide (CuO),

performing a calcination of the materials mixture under inert conditions in a reduced atmosphere under an oxygen partial pressure at which Cu and CuO are in equilibrium and coexist to form a calcined ceramic product,

grinding the calcined ceramic product;

homogenizing the calcined ceramic product; and

sintering the calcined ceramic product.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein performing the calcination of the ceramic raw materials mixture comprises performing the calcination in a moist nitrogen atmosphere.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein sintering the calcined ceramic product comprises sintering the calcined ceramic product in a moist nitrogen atmosphere.

8. A method for producing a ceramic material according to claim 1 , the method comprising:

performing a calcination of a materials mixture without a copper oxide (CuO) additive is to form a piezoceramic perovskite mixed-crystal phase material;

adding copper oxide Cu 2 O to a slurry, wherein the copper oxide is about evenly distributed throughout the slurry;

grinding the piezoceramic perovskite mixed-crystal phase material to form a ground material;

mixing the ground material with the slurry to form a ceramic mass; and

sintering the ceramic mass under inert conditions.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein sintering the ceramic mass comprises sintering the ceramic mass in a moist nitrogen atmosphere.

10. A multilayer piezoelectric component comprising:

a plurality of ceramic layers comprising the ceramic material of claim 1 ; and

a plurality of internal electrode layers, wherein the ceramic layers and the electrode layers alternate.

11. The multilayer piezoelectric component of claim 1 , wherein the internal electrode layers include at least a proportion of metallic copper.

12. The multilayer piezoelectric component of claim 1 , wherein a value of z is from about −0.15 to about +0.15.

13. The multilayer piezoelectric component of claim 1 , wherein a value of z is from about −0.016 to about +0.0205.