Papers by Author: Tetsuo Uchikoshi

Abstract: Effect of the microstructural homogeneity of 0.5 BaTiO₃ - 0.5 KNbO₃ (0.5BT-0.5KN) solid solution ceramics on the dielectric and piezoelectric properties was investigated. Microstructure of a sample prepared by a conventional sintering method was homogenous, and the room temperature crystal structure was assigned to cubic Pm3m symmetry and therefore the sample was paraelectric. On the other hand, microstructure of samples prepared by a two-step sintering method was inhomogeneous, that is, it was made of BT and KN grains. The large electric field piezoelectric constant d₃₃* increased with increasing interface area.

Abstract: Barium titanate (BaTiO3, BT) - potassium niobate (KNbO3, KN) solid solution system (0.5BT-0.5KN) ceramics with various microstructures were prepared by conventional sintering method and two-step sintering method using BT and KN nanoparticles. Their microstructures were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurement and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and it was confirmed that two ferroelectric phases, i.e., BT-rich tetragonal and KN-rich orthorhombic phases, always coexisted for all ceramics, which suggested that 0.5BT-0.5KN ceramics had “pseudo-morphotropic phase boundary (MPB)” structure. Thus, the control of the interface area between two phases was important to enhance piezoelectric property. Finally, their piezoelectric property was measured, and the apparent piezoelectric constant d33* increased with increasing interface area.

Abstract: Barium titanate (BaTiO3, BT) grain-oriented ceramics along [110] direction were prepared by a templated grain growth (TGG) method. The [110] oriented BT platelike particles (t-BT) were used as template particles. BT grain-oriented ceramics with higher relative density (Drel) over 95 %, high degree of orientation along [110] direction (F110) over 80 % and grain sizes around 30 µm were successfully prepared using only the template particles. The relationship between microstructures and piezoelectric constant (d33) was investigated. The higher F110 was, the higher Drel and the smaller grain size were required for enhancement of the piezoelectric properties.