Patent ID: 8063544

Claim:
A process for producing a structural component in the form of a monolithic multilayer element or multilayer flexural element, with at least two layer stacks, wherein each stack comprises 1-400 layers of piezoelectrically active material, which are separated by one layer stack comprising 0-100 layers of piezoelectrically inactive material, wherein the internal electrodes of the active layer stacks contain the following internal electrode materials: a) pure silver without any other precious metal content; and b) electrically non-conductive material comprising lead zirconate titanate with a proportion by weight less than 20%; wherein the material of the piezoelectrically active layers has sufficient activity in a thermal process such that sintering is possible below the melting-temperature of the material of the internal electrodes, and wherein the material is sintered at a temperature below the melting point of the internal electrode materials, and wherein a temperature of 950° C. is not exceeded during sintering and said process comprises the steps of i) grinding a calcined PZT material into powder; ii) casting the resulting powder into a foil and dividing the foil into sections; iii) imprinting an internal-electrode paste onto the foil; iv) stacking and pressing the sections of the foil to form a laminate; v) separating the laminate into flexural elements.