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

1. A method for producing a ceramic material, the method comprising:

producing a ceramic raw material mixture by comminuting and mixing starting materials containing Pb, Zr, Ti, Nd and oxygen,

introducing Ni or an Ni compound,

calcining the raw material mixture, and

sintering a ceramic, wherein the ceramic has 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 y )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, and □ represents a Pb vacancy.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein Nd is introduced in a range of from 0.01 to 6 mol %.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein introducing Ni or a Ni compound is carried out before the calcining.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein introducing Ni or a Ni compound is carried out after the calcining.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein Ni is introduced in a range of from 0.01 to 6 mol %.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising forming ceramic green sheets from the ceramic raw material mixture comprising a binder, the ceramic green sheets formed before the sintering.

7. The method 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.

8. The method 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.

9. A method for producing a ceramic material, the method comprising:

producing a ceramic raw material mixture by comminuting and mixing starting materials containing Pb, Zr, Ti, Nd and oxygen,

introducing Ni or an Ni compound,

calcining the raw material mixture, and

sintering a ceramic, wherein the ceramic has 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.

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

11. A method for producing a multilayer electro-ceramic component, the method comprising:

producing a ceramic raw material mixture by comminuting and mixing starting materials containing Pb, Zr, Ti, Nd and oxygen;

introducing Ni or an Ni compound to the raw material mixture;

calcining the raw material mixture;

forming ceramic green sheets from the ceramic raw material mixture;

layering the ceramic green sheets on one another to form a stack;

consolidating the stack by lamination, so as to create green parts;

debindering the green parts; and

sintering the green parts, wherein the electro-ceramic component comprises a piezoelectric actuator that comprises two layers of ceramic material and an inner electrode between the two layers of ceramic material and wherein the ceramic has 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 y )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, and □ represents a Pb vacancy.

12. A method for producing a multilayer electro-ceramic component, the method comprising:

producing a ceramic raw material. mixture by comminuting and mixing starting materials containing Pb, Zr, Ti, Nd and oxygen;

introducing Ni or an Ni compound to the raw material mixture;

calcining the raw material mixture;

forming ceramic green sheets from the ceramic raw material mixture;

layering the ceramic green sheets on one another to form a stack;

consolidating the stack by lamination, so as to create green parts;

debindering the green parts; and

sintering the green parts, wherein the electro-ceramic component comprises a piezoelectric actuator that comprises two layers of ceramic Material and an inner electrode between the two layers of ceramic material and wherein the ceramic has 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.

13. A method for producing a multilayer component, the method comprising:

producing a ceramic raw material mixture by comminuting and mixing starting materials containing Pb, Zr, Ti, Nd and oxygen;

calcining the ceramic raw material mixture;

adding a binder to the calcined ceramic raw material mixture;

forming green sheets from the mixture with the binder;

printing inner electrodes on the green sheets, a material of the inner electrodes comprising Ni;

layering the ceramic green sheets on one another to form a stack;

consolidating the stack by lamination, so as to create green parts;

debindering the green parts; and

sintering the green parts, some of the Ni being transferred from the inner electrodes into the ceramic material and being incorporated in the ceramic material, wherein the multilayer component comprises a piezoelectric actuator that comprises two layers of ceramic material and an inner electrode between the two layers ceramic material and wherein the ceramic has 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 y )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.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the inner electrodes comprise metallic Ni or Ni oxide.

15. A method for producing a multilayer component, the method comprising:

producing a ceramic raw material mixture by comminuting and mixing starting materials containing Pb, Zr, Ti, Nd and oxygen;

calcining the ceramic raw material mixture;

adding a binder to the calcined ceramic raw material mixture;

forming green sheets from the mixture with the binder;

printing inner electrodes on the green sheets, a material of the inner electrodes comprising Ni;

layering the ceramic green sheets on one another to form a stack;

consolidating the stack by lamination, so as to create green parts;

debindering the green parts; and

sintering the green parts, some of the Ni being transferred from the inner electrodes into the ceramic material and being incorporated in the ceramic material, wherein the ceramic has 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.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the inner electrodes comprise metallic Ni or Ni oxide.

17. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein Nd or Ni is introduced in a range of from 0.01 to 6 mol %.

18. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein introducing Ni or a Ni compound is carried out before the calcining.

19. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein introducing Ni or a Ni compound is carried out after the calcining.

20. The method as claimed in claim 9 , further comprising forming ceramic green sheets from the ceramic raw material mixture comprising a binder, the ceramic green sheets formed before the sintering.