PIEZOCERAMICS TECHNOLOGIES: APPROACHES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT MITIGATION

Abstract

The functional ceramic materials are broadly used in the electronic industry. Many of them are comprised of ferroelectric materials because of their outstanding piezoelectric and dielectric properties. Traditionally, the most popular piezoceramic materials are lead-based titanate-zirconate family (PZT), which have high values of piezoelectric properties. The negative aspect of PZT-based materials is associated with the toxic nature of lead. The toxicity of these materials makes their manufacturing and proper disposal difficult; hence, a new research direction has emerged to replace the lead-based materials with ceramic analogs containing no lead. Besides, the rising cost of energy and concerns about the environmental impact mitigation have necessitated more efficient and sustainable piezoceramics manufacturing processes. The ceramic industry is an energy-intensive industrial sector, and consequently, the potential to improve energy efficiency is enormous, mainly through the introduction of modern sintering tchnologies. Although toxicity and energy consumption are forms of environmental impact, strategies for managing each are different. While several technological approaches have been developed to reduce energy costs, there is a significant potential for improving environmental appeal of the process by introducing additive manufacturing methods, new sintering techniques and composites fabrication methods. This paper presents a brief analysis of the prospects for introducing 3D-printing methods in the production of piezoceramics and piezoelectric composites from the point of view of improving strategies for environmental impact mitigation.