• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.280-280
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• 2007

Lead oxide-based ferroelectrics are the most widely used materials for piezoelectric actuators, sensors and transducers due to their excellent piezoelectric properties. Considering lead toxicity, there is great interest in developing lead-free piezoelectric materials, which are biocompatible and environmentally friendlier. Recently alkali oxide materials, including sodium - potassium niobate (NKN), have been given attention in view of their ultrasonic application and also as promising candidates for piezoelectric lead-free system. However, it is difficult to sinter such NKN-based materials via conventional sintering process. In this reason, many researchers have investigated hot press, hot isostatic press or spark-plasma sintering of NKN-based ceramics. In this study, as candidates for lead-free piezoelectric materials, dense (Na,K,Li)(Nb,Sb)$O_3$ systems were developed by conventional sintering process. The microstructures and piezoelectric properties of the (Na,K,Li)(Nb,Sb)$O_3$ systems were investigated as a function of variable compositions. The excellent piezoelectric and electromechanical properties indicate that this system is potentially good candidate as lead-free material for a wide range of electro-mechanical transducer applications.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.25 no.9
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• pp.692-701
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• 2012

Recently, many lead-free piezoelectric materials have been investigated for the replacement of existing Pb-based piezoelectric ceramics because of globally increasing environmental interest. There has been remarkable improvement in piezoelectric properties of some lead-free ceramics such as $(Bi,Na)TiO_3-(Bi,K)TiO_3-BaTiO_3$, $(Na,K)NbO_3-LiSbO_3$, and so on. However, no one still has comparable piezoelectric properties to lead-based materials. Therefore, new lead-free piezoelectric ceramics are required. $BiFeO_3$ has a rhombohedrally distorted perovskite structure at room temperature and a very high Curie temperature ($T_C$= 1,100 K). And a very large electric polarization of 50 ~ 60 ${\mu}C/cm^2$ has been reported both in epitaxial thin film and single crystal $BiFeO_3$. Therefore, a high piezoelectric effect is expected also in a $BiFeO_3$ ceramics. The recent research activities on $BiFeO_3$ or $BiFeO_3$-based solid solutions are reviewed in this article.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.171-177
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• 2016

Rhombohedral $Ba(Ti_{0.92}Zr_{0.08})O_3$ single crystals are fabricated using the cost-effective solid-state single crystal growth (SSCG) method; their dielectric and piezoelectric properties are also characterized. Measurements show that (001) $Ba(Ti_{0.92}Zr_{0.08})O_3$ single crystals have an electromechanical coupling factor ($k_{33}$) higher than 0.85, piezoelectric charge constant ($d_{33}$) of about 950 [pC/N], and piezoelectric voltage constant ($g_{33}$) higher than 40 [${\times}10^{-3}Vm/N$]. Especially the $d_{33}$ of (001) $Ba(Ti_{0.92}Zr_{0.08})O_3$ single crystals was by about six times higher than that of their ceramics. Because their electromechanical coupling factor ($k_{33}$) and piezoelectric voltage constant ($d_{33}$, $g_{33}$) are higher than those of soft PZT ceramics, it is expected that rhombohedral (001) $Ba(Ti_{0.92}Zr_{0.08})O_3$ single crystals can be used as "lead-free" piezoelectric materials in many piezoelectric applications such as actuator, sensor, and transducer.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2009.05a
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• pp.33.1-33.1
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• 2009

Lead-free (1-x)$(Na_{0.5}K_{0.5})NbO_3$-xBa($Ti_{0.9}Sn_{0.1})O_3$ [NKN-BTS-100x] ceramics doped with 1 mol% $MnO_2$ have been prepared by the conventional solid state method and their structural and piezoelectric properties were investigated. The NKN-BTS-100x ceramics exhibited a dense and homogeneous microstructure when they were sintered at $1030-1150^{\circ}C$. Grain growth was observed for the specimen sintered at relatively low temperature of $1050^{\circ}C$. A tetragonal/orthorhombic morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) in the perovskite structure was also appeared for the NKN-BTS-100x ceramics (0.04$1050^{\circ}C$. The enhanced piezoelectric properties in the NKN-BTS ceramics with a MPB composition were obtained. Especially, for the NKN-BTS-6 ceramics, a high dielectric constant (${\varepsilon}^T_3/\varepsilon_0=1,400$), piezoelectric constant ($d_{33}=237$) and electromechanical coupling factor ($k_p=0.42$) were obtained.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2007.06a
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• pp.276-276
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• 2007

As a candidate for lead-free piezoelectric materials, dense $(Na_xK_{0.94-x}Li_{0.06})NbO_3$ ceramics were developed by conventional sintering process. Sintering temperature was lowered by adding 1 mol% $Li_2O$ as a sintering aid. The electrical properties of $(Na_xK_{0.94-x}Li_{0.06})NbO_3$ ceramics were investigated as a function of Na/K ratio. When the sample sintered at $950^{\circ}C$ for 4 h with the compositions of morphotropic phase boundary, 0.47 < x < 0.51, electro-mechanical coupling factor ($k_p$) and piezoelectric coefficient ($d_{33}$) were found to reach the highest values of 0.42 and 190 pC/N, respectively. These excellent piezoelectric and electro-mechanical properties indicate that this system is potentially good candidate for lead-free material for a wide range of electro-mechanical transducer applications.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.302-302
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• 2010

The lead-free piezoelectric ceramics must have high piezoelectric properties and electrical properties for the applications of piezoelectric devices. Therefore, KNN ceramics were investigated as a function of the variation of Nb. The density was increased with the increase of Nb. The density was saturated above 0.8895 mol Nb. The maximum value of electromechanical coupling coefficient(kp) was obtained 0.428 at 0.8895mol Nb. This result can be attributed to the well sintered of specimens. Also, The maximum value of mechanical quality factor(Qm) showed 1554 at 0.8895mol Nb. Therefore, this composition can be used for application of piezoelectric device such as piezoelectric transformer and piezoelectric actuator.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.226-229
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• 2014

In this study, lead-free $(Ba_{0.85}Ca_{0.15})(Ti_{1-x}Zr_x)O_3$ ceramics and a bimorph-type piezoelectric actuator were fabricated using the normal oxide-mixed sintering method, and their dielectric properties, microstructure, and displacement properties were investigated. From the results of X-ray diffraction, the pattern of the specimen has a pure perovskite structure. In addition, no secondary impurity phases were found. The excellent piezoelectric coefficient of $d_{33}=454pC/N$, the electromechanical coupling factor $k_p=0.51$, the dielectric constant ${\varepsilon}_r=3,657$, the mechanical quality factor $Q_m=239$, and $T_c$(Tetragonal-Cubic) =$90^{\circ}C$ were shown at x= 0.085. ${\Delta}k_p/k_p20^{\circ}C$ and ${\Delta}f_r/f_r20^{\circ}C$ showed the maximum value of -0.255 and 0.111 at $-20^{\circ}C$ and $80^{\circ}C$, respectively. The maximum total-displacement was $60{\mu}m$ under the input voltage of 50 V. As a result, it is considered that lead-free $(Ba_{0.85}Ca_{0.15})(Ti_{1-x}Zr_x)O_3$ ceramics is a promising candidate for piezoelectric actuator application for x= 0.085.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.24 no.8
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• pp.632-635
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• 2011

Additions (ZnO, CuO) doped $0.98(Na_{0.5}K_{0.5})NbO_3-0.02Li(Sb_{0.17}Ta_{0.83})O_3$ (0.98NKN-0.02LST-x) lead free piezoelectric ceramics have been fabricated by ordinary sintering technique. The effects of additions doping on the dielectric, piezoelectric, and ferroelectric properties of the ceramics were mainly investigated. X-ray diffraction of the sample appeared orthorhombic phase. The specimen doped with additions exhibits enhanced electrical properties ($d_{33}$= 153 pC/N). These results indicate that the 0.98NKN-0.02LST-x ceramics is a promising candidate for lead-free piezoelectric ceramics for applications such as piezoelectric actuators, harmonic oscillator and so on.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.261-271
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• 2017

Environment-friendly $(K,Na)NbO_3-based$ (KNN) lead-free piezoelectric materials have been studied extensively in the past decade. Significant progress has been made in this field, manifesting competitive piezoelectric performance with that of lead-based, for specific application scenarios. Further understanding of the relationship between high piezoelectricity and microstructure or more precisely, ferroelectric domain structure, domain wall pinning effect, domain wall conduction and local polarization switching underpins the continuous advancement of piezoelectric properties, with the help of piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM). In this review, we will present the fundamentals of scanning probe microscopy (SPM) and its cardinal derivative in piezoelectric and ferroelectric world, PFM. Some representative operational modes and a variety of recent applications in KNN-based piezoelectric materials are presented. We expect that PFM and its combination with some newly developed technology will continue to provide great insight into piezoelectric materials and structures, and will play a valuable role in promoting the performance to a new level.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2009.06a
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• pp.184-184
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• 2009

Lead-free Piezoelectric $[Li_{0.04}(Na_{0.44}K_{0.56})](Nb_{0.88}Ta_{0.1}Sb_{0.02})$ (abbreviated as NKNLTS) has been synthsized by conventional mixed oxide method traditional ceramics process without cold-isostatic pressing. Effect of $Bi_2O_3$ addition on NKNLTS ceramics was investigated. Piezoelectric properties of the ceramic were varied with the amount of $Bi_2O_3$ addition and showed the maximum Kp value at 0.4wt% $Bi_2O_3$ addition. The results show that the optimum poling condition for NKNLTS ceramics of 3.5kV/mm, poling temperature of $120^{\circ}C$ and poling time of 30min. At the sintering temperature of $1100^{\circ}C$ and the calcination temperature $800^{\circ}C$, the optimal values of density=$4.7g/cm^2$, Kp=0.44, $\varepsilon_r$=1309 were obtained. Consequently, lead free piezoelectric ceramics with the excellent piezoelectric could be fabricated using a conventional mixed oxide process and the optimal manuacturing condition of those was obtained.