Perovskite Layer Structure (PLS) Piezoceramics for High Temperature Applications: A Review

Abstract

Piezoelectric materials are used for various commercial and strategic applications. For most of the current generation applications the usage temperature is about 150°C and therefore, ceramics like lead zirconate titanate or lead-free ceramics such as potassium sodium niobite which exhibit Curie temperature (TC ) in between 350° and 450°C are useful. However, in the next-generation applications, the usage temperature is expected to be more than 500°C. As a thumb rule usage temperature of a ferroelectric ceramic is ½ of TC and hence, ceramics with a TC greater than 1000°C are required for such applications. Perovskite layer structure (PLS) piezoceramics exhibit TC well above 1000°C and thus, are the most promising materials for high temperature piezoelectric applications. With this background, we review the synthesis, fabrication and structural aspects of the PLS piezoceramics. We also discuss the peculiar microstructure and dielectric properties of these ceramics along with their advantages and limitations.