Ceramic material, method for producing the same, and electro-ceramic component comprising the ceramic material

1. A ceramic material comprising lead zirconate titanate, which additionally contains Nd and Ni, the ceramic material having a composition according to the following formulae:

for y≦x/2: a PbO+(Pb 1−3x/2−y□x/2−y Nd x )((Zr 1−z Ti z ) 1−y Ni y )O 3

for y<x/2: a PbO+(Pb 1−x Nd x)((Zr 1−z Ti z ) 1−y Ni y )O 3−y+x/2⋄y−x/2 ,

where 0≦a<1, 0<x<1, 0<y<1, 0<z<1, a stands for an excess of PbO in the weigh-in, □ represents a Pb vacancy and ⋄ represents an O vacancy.

2. The ceramic material as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the lead zirconate titanate has a general composition ABO 3 of a perovskite lattice, where A stands for A sites and B stands for B sites of the perovskite lattice.

3. The ceramic material as claimed in claim 2 , wherein Nd occupies A sites in the perovskite lattice.

4. The ceramic material as claimed in claim 3 , wherein Ni occupies B sites in the perovskite lattice.

5. The ceramic material as claimed in claim 2 , wherein Ni occupies B sites in the perovskite lattice.

6. An electro-ceramic component, comprising a ceramic material according to claim 1 .

7. The electro-ceramic component as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the electro-ceramic component comprises a piezoelectric actuator.

8. The electro-ceramic component as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the piezoelectric actuator comprises two layers comprising the ceramic material and an inner electrode between the two layers.

9. The ceramic material as claimed in claim 1 , wherein 0≦a≦0.05, 0.0001≦x≦0.06, 0.0001≦y≦0.06, and 0.35≦z≦0.6.

10. The ceramic material as claimed in claim 1 , wherein 0≦a≦0.05, 0.005≦x≦0.03, 0.005≦y≦0.03, and 0.35≦z≦0.6.

11. The electro-ceramic component as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the inner electrode comprises Cu, Pd, Ni, or Ag or an alloy of Cu, Pd, Ni, or Ag.

12. A ceramic material comprising lead zirconate titanate, which additionally contains Nd and Ni, the ceramic material having a composition according to the following formula:

a PbO+(Pb 1−3x/2+y□x/2−y Nd x )((Zr 1−z Ti z ) 1−y Ni O 3

where 0≦a<1, 0<x<1, 0<y<1, 0<z<1, y<x/2, a stands for an excess of PbO in the weigh-in, □ represents a Pb vacancy.

13. An electro-ceramic component, comprising a ceramic material according to claim 12 , wherein the electro-ceramic component comprises a piezoelectric actuator.

14. The electro-ceramic component as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the piezoelectric actuator comprises two layers comprising the ceramic material and an inner electrode between the two layers.

15. The ceramic material as claimed in claim 12 , wherein 0≦a≦0.05, 0.0001≦x≦0.06, 0.0001≦y≦0.06, and 0.35≦z≦0.6.

16. The ceramic material as claimed in claim 12 , wherein 0≦a≦0.05, 0.005≦x≦0.03, 0.005≦y≦0.03, and 0.35≦z≦0.6.

17. A ceramic material comprising lead zirconate titanate, which additionally contains Nd and Ni, the ceramic material having a composition according to the following formula:

a PbO+(Pb 1−x Nd x )((Zr 1−z Ti z ) 1−y Ni y )O 3−y+x/2⋄y−x/2,

where 0≦a<1, 0<x<1, 0<y<1, 0<z<1, y>x/2, a stands for an excess of PbO in the weigh-in, ⋄represents an O vacancy.

18. An electro-ceramic component, comprising a ceramic material according to claim 17 , wherein the electro-ceramic component comprises a piezoelectric actuator.

19. The electro-ceramic component as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the piezoelectric actuator comprises two layers comprising the ceramic material and an inner electrode between the two layers.

20. The ceramic material as claimed in claim 17 , wherein 0≦a≦0.05, 0.0001≦x≦0.06, 0.0001≦y≦0.06, and 0.35≦z≦0.6.