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Nanostructured ferroelectric ceramics and coatings

Al-Aaraji, Mohammed Naji Hassan

[Thesis]. Manchester, UK: The University of Manchester; 2018.

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Abstract

Lead-based and lead-free ferroelectric ceramic materials were prepared at low sintering temperatures with particular regard to their applications in thick film piezoelectric components. This project is focused on the development of processing methods and novel compositions to be used for thick film production by electrophoretic deposition (EPD) on heat-resistant alloys. Lead-based glasses and an oxide mixture (LiCO3, Bi2O3 and CuO), denoted LBCu, with low melting points were used as sintering aids for lanthanum-doped lead zirconate titanate (PLZT) ceramics. The required temperature to achieve dense ceramics was reduced from 1250 to 950 °C. It was found that the highest ferroelectric properties were obtained by the use of LBCu in comparison with those incorporating glass additives due to the shielding effect of the glass phase between the ferroelectric grains. However, the results of thick film preparation shown that the samples with glass additives were much smoother and relatively free of cracks up to 1000 ºC. In terms of lead-free ceramics, novel compositions were prepared, based on (Ba,Ca)(Zr,Ti)O3-(K0.5Bi0.5)TiO3 (BCZT-KBT) solid solutions having various Ca and Zr contents. The new solid solutions exhibited interesting features comprising core-shell type microstructures and relaxor ferroelectric behaviour in addition to reduced sintering temperatures and higher Curie point compared with BCZT ceramics. The required sintering temperature reduced to 1125 °C at 65% KBT, in comparison with 1500 °C for pure BCZT. The results showed that the compositional heterogeneity in the shell regions was reduced by air quenching, relative to that of the slow-cooled state, due to the retention of the more chemically-homogeneous high temperature state by the quenching process. The improvements were evident in increased polarisation, piezoelectric coefficient and depolarisation temperature values. However, the slow-cooled samples exhibited high reversible strain levels due to the presence of polar nanoregions (PNRs) in the ergodic state within the shell regions. Comparing the results obtained for two BCZT compositions, it was demonstrated that the stability of the ferroelectric tetragonal phase in slow-cooled BCZT-KBT samples was improved for the ceramic with lower Ca and Zr concentrations, denoted x=0.06, in comparison with that for higher levels, denoted x=0.15. Moreover, the electric field-induced ferroelectric state in the quenched ceramic with x=0.06 was found to be more stable during heating, giving rise to an enhanced depolarisation temperature.

Bibliographic metadata

Type of resource:
Content type:
Administered thesis
Form of thesis:
Traditional
Type of submission:
Doctoral level ETD - final
Thesis title:
Nanostructured ferroelectric ceramics and coatings
Degree type:
Doctor of Philosophy
Degree programme:
PhD Materials
Publication date:
2018-08-20T11:40:41
Institution:
The University of Manchester
Location:
Manchester, UK
Total pages:
223
Abstract:
Lead-based and lead-free ferroelectric ceramic materials were prepared at low sintering temperatures with particular regard to their applications in thick film piezoelectric components. This project is focused on the development of processing methods and novel compositions to be used for thick film production by electrophoretic deposition (EPD) on heat-resistant alloys. Lead-based glasses and an oxide mixture (LiCO3, Bi2O3 and CuO), denoted LBCu, with low melting points were used as sintering aids for lanthanum-doped lead zirconate titanate (PLZT) ceramics. The required temperature to achieve dense ceramics was reduced from 1250 to 950 °C. It was found that the highest ferroelectric properties were obtained by the use of LBCu in comparison with those incorporating glass additives due to the shielding effect of the glass phase between the ferroelectric grains. However, the results of thick film preparation shown that the samples with glass additives were much smoother and relatively free of cracks up to 1000 ºC. In terms of lead-free ceramics, novel compositions were prepared, based on (Ba,Ca)(Zr,Ti)O3-(K0.5Bi0.5)TiO3 (BCZT-KBT) solid solutions having various Ca and Zr contents. The new solid solutions exhibited interesting features comprising core-shell type microstructures and relaxor ferroelectric behaviour in addition to reduced sintering temperatures and higher Curie point compared with BCZT ceramics. The required sintering temperature reduced to 1125 °C at 65% KBT, in comparison with 1500 °C for pure BCZT. The results showed that the compositional heterogeneity in the shell regions was reduced by air quenching, relative to that of the slow-cooled state, due to the retention of the more chemically-homogeneous high temperature state by the quenching process. The improvements were evident in increased polarisation, piezoelectric coefficient and depolarisation temperature values. However, the slow-cooled samples exhibited high reversible strain levels due to the presence of polar nanoregions (PNRs) in the ergodic state within the shell regions. Comparing the results obtained for two BCZT compositions, it was demonstrated that the stability of the ferroelectric tetragonal phase in slow-cooled BCZT-KBT samples was improved for the ceramic with lower Ca and Zr concentrations, denoted x=0.06, in comparison with that for higher levels, denoted x=0.15. Moreover, the electric field-induced ferroelectric state in the quenched ceramic with x=0.06 was found to be more stable during heating, giving rise to an enhanced depolarisation temperature.
Keyword(s):
Thesis main supervisor(s):
Thesis co-supervisor(s):
Funder(s):
Degree grantor:
Language:
en

Institutional metadata

University researcher(s):
Academic department(s):

Record metadata

Manchester eScholar ID:
uk-ac-man-scw:315591
Created by:
Al-Aaraji, Mohammed
Created:
20th August, 2018, 10:40:41
Last modified by:
Al-Aaraji, Mohammed
Last modified:
13th September, 2018, 13:51:27

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