Abstract
In this paper, to develop the ceramics with high $d_{33}$ and high $Q_m$ for ultrasonic transducer applications, $0.10Pb(Ni_{1/3}Nb_{2/3})O_3-0.07Pb(Mn_{1/3}Nb_{2/3})O_3-0.83Pb(Zr_{0.5}Ti_{0.5})_{0.83}O_3$ (PNN-PMN-PZT) ceramics were sintered at $940^{\circ}C$ using $CuO-Li_2CO_3-Bi_2O_3$ (CLBO) as a sintering aid by a traditional solid-state technique. The influence of zinc oxide additive on the physical properties of the prepared ceramics were systematically investigated. The R-T (rhombohedral-tetragonal) phase coexistence was found in the ceramics without zinc oxide additive and with increasing amounts of ZnO additive, the specimens showed a tetragonal phase. The formation of a liquid phase between ZnO and $Bi_2O_3$ contributed significantly to the grain growth of specimens. For the 0.1 wt% ZnO ceramics, the optimal physical properties of $d_{33}=370pC/N$, ${\varepsilon}_r=1,344$, $k_p=0.621$, and $Q_m=1,523$ were obtained.