BNT-based multilayer device with large and temperature independent strain made by a water-based preparation process

A piezoelectric multilayer device based on bismuth-sodium-titanate ceramics (BNT) co-fired with Ag/Pd inner electrodes is described and its dielectric and piezoelectric properties are measured. The ceramic powder and tape was made by a water-based preparation process. After printing with Ag/Pd paste for inner electrodes these tapes were stacked to a multilayer device with 50 active layers. This device exhibited a large and temperature independent strain around 0.19% between 25 °C and 150 °C. The large strain is due to a field-induced phase transition. The low temperature dependence results from the broadening of the nonpolar phase by doping.     

Piezoelectric properties of mechanochemically processed 0.67BiFeO3-0.33BaTiO3 ceramics

Solid solutions of BiFeO₃ and BaTiO₃ are promising lead-free piezoelectric materials, especially around the morphotropic phase boundary at 0.67BiFeO₃-0.33BaTiO₃. Still, these materials are challenged by phase instability and limited understanding of the processing-properties relationship. Here, we investigate mechanochemical activation and the use of BaTiO₃ as seed particles for the 0.67BiFeO₃-0.33BaTiO₃ phase. Contrary to expectations from seeding in lead-based perovskites, the BaTiO₃ seeds do not promote the 0.67BiFeO₃-0.33BaTiO₃ perovskite phase neither during the mechanochemical activation nor the subsequent sintering, but cause an inhomogeneous structure with remnant BaTiO₃. This results in ceramics with weaker low-field piezoelectric response than that of the unseeded route, but with higher field-induced strain, even up to 150 °C. Both routes produce ceramics of high density and without significant secondary phases visible by X-ray diffraction. This demonstrates the advantage of mechanochemical activation and the possibility to tailor the piezoelectric response of 0.67BiFeO₃-0.33BaTiO₃ through the processing route.     

Phase transition and electrical properties of (1 − x)K0.02Na0.98NbO3-xBaTiO3 ceramics

(1 − x)K_0.02Na_0.98NbO₃-xBaTiO₃ ceramics were prepared by the solid state reaction method, and their electrical properties were investigated. The samples showed crystal structure changing from monoclinic to orthorhombic, and then to tetragonal, with an increase in BaTiO₃ content. The addition of BaTiO₃ markedly enhanced ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties of K_0.02Na_0.98NbO₃ ceramics. Remnant polarization increased and coercive field decreased only in the samples with small amount of BaTiO₃. Piezoelectric properties were improved with the addition of BaTiO₃. The 0.9K_0.02Na_0.98NbO₃-0.1BaTiO₃ ceramics showed maximum piezoelectric constant (d₃₃ = 160 pC/N), which was even comparable with that of (1 − x)K_0.5Na_0.5NbO₃-xBaTiO₃ ceramics. Their good piezoelectric properties, along with a low ferroelectric-ferroelectric transition temperature (T_F-F), made the 0.9K_0.02Na_0.98NbO₃-0.1BaTiO₃ ceramics a potential candidate for lead-free piezoelectric applications.     

Microstructure, ferroelectric, and piezoelectric properties of (1 − x − y)Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3-xBaTiO3-yBi0.5Ag0.5TiO3 lead-free ceramics

Lead-free (1 − x − y)Bi_0.5Na_0.5TiO₃-xBaTiO₃-yBi_0.5Ag_0.5TiO₃ (BNT-BT-BAT-x/y, x = 0-0.10, y = 0-0.075) piezoelectric ceramics were synthesized by conventional oxide-mixed method. The microstructure, ferroelectric, and piezoelectric properties of the ceramics were investigated. Results show that a morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) between rhombohedral and tetragonal phases of BNT-BT-BAT-x/0.04 ceramics is formed at x = 0.06-0.08. The addition of BAT has no obvious change on the crystal structure of BNT-BT ceramics while it causes the grain size of the ceramics to become more homogenous. Near the MPB, the ceramics with x = 0.06 and y = 0.05-0.06 possess optimum electrical properties: P_r ∼ 42.5 μC/cm², E_c ∼ 32.0 kV/cm, d₃₃ ∼ 172 pC/N, k_p ∼ 32.6%, and k_t ∼ 52.6%. The temperature dependences of k_p and polarization versus electric hysteresis loops reveal that the depolarization temperature (T_d) of BNT-BT-BAT-0.06/y ceramics decreases with increasing y. In addition, the polar and non-polar phases may coexist in the BNT-BT-BAT-x/y ceramics above T_d.     

High-frequency vibrations of piezoelectric plates driven by lateral electric fields

We study coupled face-shear and thickness-twist motions of piezoelectric plates of monoclinic crystals driven by lateral electric fields. The first-order theory of piezoelectric plates is used. Pure thickness modes and propagating waves in unbounded plates as well as vibrations of finite plates are studied. Both free vibrations and electrically forced vibrations are considered. Basic vibration characteristics including resonant frequencies, dispersion relations, frequency spectra and motional capacitance are obtained. Numerical results are presented for AT-cut quartz plates. The results are expected to be useful for the understanding and design of resonant piezoelectric devices using lateral field excitation.     

Effect of CuO on the sintering temperature and piezoelectric properties of lead-free 0.95(Na0.5K0.5)NbO3-0.05CaTiO3 ceramics

The addition of a small amount of CuO to the 0.95(Na_0.5K_0.5)NbO₃-0.05CaTiO₃ (0.95NKN-0.05CT) ceramics sintered at 960 °C for 10 h produced a dense microstructure with large grains due to the liquid phase sintering. Due to the negligible Na₂O evaporation, poling was easy for all specimens sintered at 960 °C. The piezoelectric properties of the specimens were considerably influenced by the relative density, grain size and liquid phase amount. The high piezoelectric properties of d₃₃ = 200 pC/N, k_p = 0.37, and Q_m = 350 were obtained for the 0.95NKN-0.05CT ceramics containing 2.0 mol% CuO sintered at 960 °C for 10 h. Therefore, the 0.95NKN-0.05CT ceramics containing a small amount of CuO are a good candidate material for lead-free piezoelectric ceramics.     

Effects of frequencies of AC modulation voltage on piezoelectric-induced images using atomic force microscopy

Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin film is prepared by sol-gel method on Pt/Ti electrode/SiO₂/Si wafer. Local poling is performed on the PZT film using an atomic force microscope (AFM). The topography and piezoelectric-induced (PEI) images on the polarized PZT film are recorded using AFM at piezo-responsive mode, operated with an AC voltage at varying frequencies. The best PEI image was obtained at the frequency around 300 kHz. It is explained that the change of piezoelectric vibrations and input noise signals with the frequency of AC modulation voltage affects the intensity of PEI images.     

Water based gelcasting of lead zirconate titanate

Gelcasting is a novel forming method for making high-quality ceramic parts by means of in situ polymerization where only a few percents of a polymerizable binder are needed. In this article the viscosities of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) suspensions with 15-52 vol.% solids loading were studied. After developing a concentrated PZT suspension with a low viscosity, gelcasting was successfully used to form PZT ceramic parts. Microstructures and piezoelectric properties of gelcast samples derived from suspensions with different solids loading were also investigated in comparison with those of die pressed ones. It was found that gelcast samples exhibited slightly stronger piezoelectric effect than the die pressed ones at the same sintering procedure. Based on the comparison of the density and pore structure results of the samples prepared by these two methods, their different piezoelectricity may be attributed to their microstructure difference.     

Ferroelectric, dielectric and piezoelectric properties of potassium lanthanum bismuth titanate K0.5La0.5Bi4Ti4O15 ceramics

The Aurivillius type bismuth layer-structured compound potassium lanthanum bismuth titanate (K_0.5La_0.5Bi₄Ti₄O₁₅) is synthesized using conventional solid-state processing. The phase analysis is performed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and the microstructural morphology is conducted by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The ferroelectric, dielectric and piezoelectric properties of K_0.5La_0.5Bi₄Ti₄O₁₅ (KLBT) ceramics are investigated in detail. The remnant polarization (P_r) and coercive field (E_c) are found to be 8.6 μC cm⁻² and 60 kV cm⁻¹, respectively. The Curie temperature T_c and piezoelectric coefficient d₃₃ are 413 °C and 18 pC N⁻¹, respectively.