PZT
also Lead Zirconate Titanate
PZT is a lead zirconate titanate piezoelectric ceramic supplied sintered and poled in soft (PZT-5A, PZT-5H) and hard (PZT-4, PZT-8) compositions.
Reference datasheet — PZT is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
Values for the Sintered condition
PZT tempers and conditions
PZT is supplied in 5 conditions, soft to hard. Sintered is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 5 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Very soft, high-permittivity Navy Type VI actuator/medical grade | Pick for maximum strain and charge output (multilayer actuators, medical imaging arrays) where the low Curie point and higher loss are acceptable. | 70 | 300 HV | 2 W/m·K | ||
SinteredDefault conventionally pressed and sintered, poled (generic Navy Type II / PZT-5A class) | Default general-purpose soft PZT blank for sensors, receivers and low-power actuators. | 75 | 350 HV | 1 W/m·K | ||
Soft (donor-doped) Navy Type II, general sensing/receiving grade | Pick for hydrophones, accelerometers and low-drive actuators needing high sensitivity with good temperature stability. | 75 | 340 HV | 1 W/m·K | ||
Hard (acceptor-doped) Navy Type I, high-power transmitter grade | Pick for high-drive sonar and ultrasonic power transducers where low loss and high mechanical Q matter more than sensitivity. | 78 | 360 HV | 1 W/m·K | ||
Extra-hard Navy Type III, very high power / low loss grade | Pick for continuous high-field ultrasonic welding/cleaning stacks where dielectric and mechanical losses must be minimal. | 80 | 400 HV | 1 W/m·K |
What is PZT?
PZT is a lead zirconate titanate piezoelectric ceramic supplied sintered and poled in soft (PZT-5A, PZT-5H) and hard (PZT-4, PZT-8) compositions. Soft grades give high piezoelectric coupling and permittivity for sensors, hydrophones and general-purpose actuators; hard grades suit higher-drive, higher-power transducers. Typical properties are 7.75 g/cm³ density and 61 GPa elastic modulus, with service limited to about 175 °C before depoling risk becomes significant. Machinability is very low (score 8), so fired parts are diamond ground, lapped or diced rather than milled. PZT has a density of 7.75 g/cm³ (0.28 lb/in³), heavier than 75% of ceramic grades. PZT has a tensile strength of 75 MPa (10.9 ksi), weaker than 56% of ceramic grades. The elastic modulus is 61 GPa (8.85 Msi).
What is PZT used for?
- Ultrasonic transducer discs and rings
- Piezoelectric sensors and accelerometers
- Hydrophone and sonar elements
- Stack and bender actuators
- Ultrasonic cleaning and welding drivers
- Flow and level measurement probes
- Buzzer and sounder elements
Limitations
- Poor heat conductor — 1.3 W/m·K (0.751 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 94% of ceramic grades
- Limited service temperature — 175°C (347 °F), worse than 87% of ceramic grades
- Low fracture toughness — 1 MPa·√m (0.91 ksi·√in), worse than 84% of ceramic grades
- Low stiffness — 61 GPa (8.85 Msi), worse than 82% of ceramic grades
- Heavy — 7.75 g/cm³ (0.28 lb/in³), worse than 75% of ceramic grades
PZT properties
Typical room-temperature values for PZT-Sintered; bars are the position among ceramic grades.
Physical2
PZT has a density of 7.75 g/cm³ (0.28 lb/in³), heavier than 75% of ceramic grades.
Mechanical11
PZT has a tensile strength of 75 MPa (10.9 ksi), weaker than 56% of ceramic grades. The elastic modulus is 61 GPa (8.85 Msi).
Thermal5
PZT is rated for continuous service to 175°C (347 °F). It conducts heat at 1.3 W/m·K (0.751 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 94% of ceramic grades. Thermal expansion is 4 µm/m·K (2.22 µin/in·°F).
Electrical5
PZT is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 5 kV/mm (127 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10¹⁰ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental2
Corrosion resistance is good (60/100), worse than 71% of ceramic grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of PZT takes about 70 MJ of energy and emits 5.5 kg of CO₂ — less than 71% of ceramic grades. Typical recycled content is 5%.
Manufacturability3
PZT's machinability is not recommended (8/100, better than 69% of ceramic grades).
Common Calculations4
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the ceramic family
Yield strength against density for every ceramic grade FabDigit runs. PZT is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with PZT
Is PZT easy to machine?
Green machining is easy; fired PZT requires diamond grinding, lapping, dicing or ultrasonic machining, with light passes to avoid edge chipping and micro-cracking.
Can PZT be welded?
Not weldable — joined by conductive epoxy, solder to fired-on Ag electrodes (<250 °C, short dwell) or clamped stack preload.
Can PZT be formed, bent or molded?
Formed by dry/isostatic pressing or tape casting of calcined powder, sintered 1150–1320 °C in a PbO-rich atmosphere to limit lead volatilisation, then electroded and DC-poled above the coercive field.
PZT chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| Pbas PbO in the perovskite A-site; partly substituted by Sr/Ba/La in doped grades | 60 – 65 | 63.6 |
| ZrZr/Ti ratio near the morphotropic phase boundary (~52/48) | 12 – 16 | 14.6 |
| Ti | 6 – 8.5 | 7.1 |
| Nbdonor dopant in soft grades (PZT-5A/5H) | 0 – 1.5 | 0.6 |
| Feacceptor dopant in hard grades (PZT-4/8) | 0 – 1 | 0.3 |
| SrA-site modifier, adjusts Curie point/permittivity | 0 – 2 | 0.8 |
| O | ≥ 14 (balance) |
What surface finishes work on PZT?
Fired silver, sputtered Cr/Ni-Au or electroless Ni electrodes; lap or polish faces flat before electroding, and avoid temperatures above ~½ Tc during any downstream process to prevent depoling.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to PZT in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- Trade names
- Lead Zirconate Titanate
- Also called
- Navy Type II
How much does PZT cost?
PZT is a high-cost ceramic ($$$$), pricier than about 98% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
PZT — frequently asked
What is PZT used for?
PZT is typically used for ultrasonic transducer discs and rings, piezoelectric sensors and accelerometers, hydrophone and sonar elements, stack and bender actuators, ultrasonic cleaning and welding drivers and flow and level measurement probes. In short: piezoelectric actuator ceramic.
What is the tensile strength of PZT?
PZT has a typical tensile strength of 75 MPa (10.9 ksi) — weaker than 56% of ceramic grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 5 listed tempers.
Is PZT easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated not recommended (8/100, better than 69% of ceramic grades). Green machining is easy; fired PZT requires diamond grinding, lapping, dicing or ultrasonic machining, with light passes to avoid edge chipping and micro-cracking.
Can PZT be welded?
Not weldable — joined by conductive epoxy, solder to fired-on Ag electrodes (<250 °C, short dwell) or clamped stack preload.
What surface finishes work on PZT?
Fired silver, sputtered Cr/Ni-Au or electroless Ni electrodes; lap or polish faces flat before electroding, and avoid temperatures above ~½ Tc during any downstream process to prevent depoling.
Can PZT be formed, bent or molded?
Formed by dry/isostatic pressing or tape casting of calcined powder, sintered 1150–1320 °C in a PbO-rich atmosphere to limit lead volatilisation, then electroded and DC-poled above the coercive field.
What is the maximum service temperature of PZT?
PZT is rated for continuous use to about 175°C (347 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does PZT cost?
PZT is a high-cost ceramic ($$$$), pricier than about 98% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- IEEE 176 Standard on Piezoelectricity — IEEE (1987)
- Physical and Piezoelectric Properties of APC Materials — APC International (2023)
- PIC Piezoelectric Ceramic Materials Data — PI Ceramic (2023)
- ASM Engineered Materials Handbook Vol.4 — Ceramics and Glasses — ASM International (1991)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.