Piezoelectric nanoceramics

Abstract

Understanding ferroelectricity in perovskite, bulk dense nanograin ceramics is a fundamental issue that has remained unsolved for decades. The novel development of an unconventional pressureless two-step sintering strategy featuring densification without grain growth is deemed particularly exciting because it is more desirable for commercial production. Using this technique, high-density pure barium titanate (BT) ceramic samples could be produced, which allowed for better understanding of the size effect in nanometer-scale BT ceramic systems and to address real industrial applications. In this chapter, we describe the methods for fabrication of highly dense piezoelectric nanoceramics followed by the systemic investigation of the size effect on the microstructures and piezoelectric behavior of (1-x)BiScO3-xPbTiO3 (BSPT) nanoceramics. BSPT ceramics with average grain size from the micrometer scale down to 10?nm have been prepared by a two-step sintering method. The microstructures and properties of these bulk dense nanocrystalline ceramics were characterized by means of x-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning probe microscopy (SPM), and hysteresis-loop and dielectric measurements.