Textured ceramic compositions having improved piezoelectric characteristics as compared with their random counterparts are provided. Methods of making the compositions and devices using them are also included. More particularly, compositions comprising textured ceramic Na.sub.0.5Bi.sub.0.5TiO.sub.3—BaTiO.sub.3(NBT-BT) materials synthesized from high aspect ratio NBT seeds exhibit improved characteristics, including an increased longitudinal piezoelectric constant (d.sub.33) and magnetoelectric coupling coefficient over randomly oriented NBT-BT. Additionally provided are compositions comprising of nanostructured Na.sub.0.5B.sub.0.5TiO.sub.3—BaTiO.sub.3 ferroelectric whiskers having a high aspect ratio. Nanostructured whiskers can be used to improve the piezoelectric properties of the bulk ceramics. The inventive materials are useful in microelectronic devices, with some finding particular application as multilayer actuators and transducers.

The present invention is a piezoelectric composition and a piezoelectric element using the piezoelectric composition, the composition being characterized by: having a Perovskite structure represented by general formula ABO3; being represented by composition formula x(Bi0.5K0.5)TiO3-yBi(Mg0.5Ti0.5)O3-zBiFeO3, x+y+z=1 in the composition formula above; and in a triangular coordinate using x, y and z in the composition formula above, having a composition represented by a region which is surrounded by a pentagon ABCDE with apexes of point A (1, 0, 0), point B (0.7, 0.3, 0), point C (0.1, 0.3, 0.6), point D (0.1, 0.1, 0.8) and point E (0.2, 0, 0.8) and which does not include the line segment AE that connects point A (1, 0, 0) and point E (0.2, 0, 0.8).

A method for producing a ferroelectric polymer element includes: disposing one electrode on a substrate; applying polymer solution in which a polyvinylidene fluoride-based polymer is dissolved in a solvent including an aprotic polar solvent onto the one electrode by forme-based printing; firing the polymer solution to crystallize the polyvinylidene fluoride-based polymer, so that a ferroelectric layer is formed; and disposing the other electrode on the ferroelectric layer.

A piezoelectric material which is low in load on the environment, and also satisfies both the requirements of a high piezoelectric constant and a high mechanical quality factor. The piezoelectric material comprises a plurality of crystal grains containing Ba, Ca, Ti, Zr, Mn, and O. An average equivalent circle diameter of the crystal grains is not smaller than 1.0 μm and not larger than 10 μm. The crystal grains include crystal grains A each having a first domain with a width of not smaller than 300 nm and not larger than 800 nm, and crystal grains B each having a second domain with a width of not smaller than 20 nm and not larger than 50 nm.

A piezoelectric composition having a complex oxide including potassium and niobium, in which the complex oxide has a first phase represented by a compositional formula KNbO.sub.3, and one or two phases selected from a second phase represented by a compositional formula K.sub.4Nb.sub.6O.sub.17 and a third phase represented by a compositional formula KNb.sub.3O.sub.8.

The present invention relates to a method of preparing a solid solution ceramic material having increased electromechanical strain, as well as ceramic materials obtainable therefrom and uses thereof. In one aspect, the present invention provides a method A method of increasing electromechanical strain in a solid solution ceramic material which exhibits an electric field induced strain derived from a reversible transition from a non-polar state to a polar state; i) determining a molar ratio of at least one polar perovskite compound having a polar crystallographic point group to at least one non-polar perovskite compound having a non-polar crystallographic point group which, when combined to form a solid solution, forms a ceramic material with a major portion of a non-polar state; ii) determining the maximum polarization, P.sub.max, remanent polarisation, P.sub.r, and the difference, P.sub.max−P.sub.r, for the solid solution formed in step i); and either: iii)a) modifying the molar ratio determined in step i) to form a different solid solution of the same perovskite compounds which exhibits an electric field induced strain and which has a greater difference, P.sub.max−P.sub.r, between maximum polarization, P.sub.max, and remanent polarisation, P.sub.r, than for the solid solution from step i), or; iii)b) adjusting the processing conditions used for preparing the solid solution formed in step i) to increase the difference, P.sub.max−P.sub.r, in maximum polarization, P.sub.max, and remanent polarisation, P.sub.r, of the solid solution.

The present invention relates to a room-temperature multiferroicity material, a method for preparing same, and an electronic device comprising same. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, a room-temperature multiferroicity material according to an aspect of the present disclosure comprises a compound in chemical Formula (2) below in a compound matrix in chemical formula (1) below. Chemical formula (1) (Pb.sub.1-xTM.sub.x)Fe.sub.1/2Nb.sub.1/2O.sub.3 (in chemical formula (1), TM comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of Fe, Ni and Co, and x is a number greater than 0 and smaller than 1). Chemical formula (2) ABO.sub.3 (in chemical formula (2), A comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of Pb, Bi and Ba, and B comprises Ti and/or Zr).

Compositions are disclosed that comprise a piezoelectric material according to Chemical Formula 1: (1−y)(Na.sub.aK.sub.1-a)(Nb.sub.1-x,Sb.sub.x)-ySrZrO.sub.3+n mol % CuO, wherein 0.01≤y≤0.10, 0.4≤a≤0.6, 0≤x≤0.06, and 0.5≤n≤1.5. The compositions can further comprise a first material, and a second material surrounded by the first material. A piezoelectric device is also described, which includes a piezoelectric device layer including a composition of Chemical Formula 1, and having a first material layer and a second material layer surrounded by the first material layer; a first electrode part disposed on a first surface of the piezoelectric device layer; and a second electrode part disposed on a second surface facing the first surface.

An embodiment piezoelectric element includes a piezoelectric composite layer including a polymer and a piezoelectric ceramic, a backing layer disposed on a rear surface of the piezoelectric composite layer and configured to limit vibration of the piezoelectric composite layer, and an adhesive layer bonding the piezoelectric composite layer and the backing layer.

An electromechanical transducer includes an electromechanical transducer film of laminated layers including a perovskite-type complex oxide represented by a general formula of ABO.sub.3; and a pair of electrodes opposed to each other with the electromechanical transducer film interposed between the pair of electrodes. In the general formula of ABO.sub.3, A includes Pb and B includes Zr and Ti. A variable ratio ΔPb of Pb, determined by Pb(max)−Pb(min), is 6% or less and a variable ratio ΔZr of Zr, determined by Zr(max)−Zr(min), is 9% or less, where an atomic weight ratio of Pb in the electromechanical transducer film is denoted by Pb/B, an atomic weight ratio of Zr in the electromechanical transducer film is denoted by Zr/B, a maximum value and a minimum value of the atomic weight ratio of Pb in a film thickness direction of the electromechanical transducer film are denoted by Pb(max) and Pb(min), respectively, and a maximum value and a minimum value of the atomic weight ratio of Zr in the film thickness direction of the electromechanical transducer film are denoted by Zr(max) and Zr(min), respectively.