Application of texture engineering to piezoelectric ceramics

Abstract

The properties of piezoelectric ceramics are enhanced by the development of erystallographic texture. One of the most convenient preparation methods for textured ceramics is the sintering of green compacts containing aligned anisometric particles. This review deals with the mechanisms of texture development by examining microstructure development in the compacts. The characteristics of microstructure development are summarized separately, depending on the preparation methods, which are divided into four groups: oriented consolidation of anisometric particles, templated grain growth, reactive-templated grain growth, and heterotemplated grain growth.