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Crystals
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Advanced Ferroelectric, Piezoelectric and Dielectric Ceramics
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Advanced Ferroelectric, Piezoelectric and Dielectric Ceramics

A special issue of Crystals (ISSN 2073-4352). This special issue belongs to the section "Polycrystalline Ceramics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (14 September 2024) | Viewed by 21705

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Zhonghua Yao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
Interests: piezoelectric materials; ferroelectric materials; dielectric materials; multilayered ceramic capacitors; low-temperature cofired ceramics; giant-permittivity materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Ceramic materials are widely recognized for their particular electrical and mechanical properties, making them attractive for a variety of applications, such as electronics, sensors, actuators, energy storage, and communication devices. This Special Issue focuses on current advances and imminent developments in the synthesis, characterization, and application of advanced ferroelectric, piezoelectric, and dielectric ceramics. The optimization of advanced functional ceramics will have far-reaching impacts in the near future.

This Special Issue will focus on the following elements of ceramic materials research, among others:

  1. Novel synthesis methods and processing techniques for designing ceramic compositions with enhanced properties.
  2. Investigation of the fundamental principles underlying the ferroelectric, piezoelectric, and dielectric behavior of ceramics.
  3. Using characterization techniques, such as X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, and spectroscopy, to elucidate the structure–property relationships in ceramic materials.
  4. Exploration of advanced functional ceramics, such as multiferroics, relaxor ferroelectrics, and high-temperature superconductors.
  5. Applications of ceramic materials in energy harvesting, sensing, actuation, data storage, and electronic devices.

In this Special Issue, we aim to bring together a diverse range of contributions that highlight the latest breakthroughs and provide insights into the future directions of research in this field. We welcome all types of papers (reviews, full papers, communications, technical notes, highlights, etc.) that delve into the study of advanced ferroelectric, piezoelectric, and dielectric ceramics.

Dr. Zhonghua Yao
Guest Editor

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Crystals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • ferroelectric ceramics
  • piezoelectric ceramics
  • dielectric ceramics
  • advanced functional ceramics
  • ceramic composites
  • ceramic-based actuators
  • ceramic-based electronic devices
  • ceramic processing and manufacturing
  • microstructure characterization of ceramics
  • thermodynamic and kinetic studies of ceramics, including theory, experiment, modeling, and simulation
  • ceramic application in energy harvesting, sensing, actuation, data storage, and electronic devices

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Published Papers (13 papers)

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Research

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24 pages, 31908 KiB  
Article
Fabrication of Textured 0.685(Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO3-0.065BaTiO3-0.25SrTiO3 Electrostrictive Ceramics by Templated Grain Growth Using NaNbO3 Templates and Characterization of Their Electrical Properties
by Kiran Andleeb, Doan Thanh Trung, John G. Fisher, Tran Thi Huyen Tran, Jong-Sook Lee, Woo-Jin Choi and Wook Jo
Crystals 2024, 14(10), 861; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst14100861 - 30 Sep 2024
Viewed by 929
Abstract
Electrostrictive materials based on (Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO3 are promising lead-free candidates for high-precision actuation applications, yet their properties require further improvement. This study aims to enhance the electromechanical properties of a predominantly electrostrictive composition, 0.685(Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO3 [...] Read more.
Electrostrictive materials based on (Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO3 are promising lead-free candidates for high-precision actuation applications, yet their properties require further improvement. This study aims to enhance the electromechanical properties of a predominantly electrostrictive composition, 0.685(Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO3-0.065BaTiO3-0.25SrTiO3, by using templated grain growth. Textured ceramics were prepared with 1~9 wt% NaNbO3 templates. A high Lotgering factor of 95% was achieved with 3 wt% templates and sintering at 1200 °C for 12 h. Polarization and strain hysteresis loops confirmed the ergodic nature of the system at room temperature, with unipolar strain significantly improving from 0.09% for untextured ceramics to 0.23% post-texturing. A maximum normalized strain, Smax/Emax (d33*), of 581 pm/V was achieved at an electric field of 4 kV/mm for textured ceramics. Textured ceramics also showed enhanced performance over untextured ceramics at lower electric fields. The electrostrictive coefficient Q33 increased from 0.017 m4C−2 for untextured ceramics to 0.043 m4C−2 for textured ceramics, accompanied by reduced strain hysteresis, making the textured 0.685(Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO3-0.065BaTiO3-0.25SrTiO3 composition suitable for high-precision actuation applications. Dielectric properties measured between −193 °C and 550 °C distinguished the depolarization, Curie–Weiss and Burns temperatures, and activation energies for polar nanoregion transitions and dc conduction. Dispersive dielectric constants were found to observe the “two” law exhibiting a temperature dependence double the value of the Curie–Weiss constant, with shifts of about 10 °C per frequency decade where the non-dispersive THz limit was identified. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Ferroelectric, Piezoelectric and Dielectric Ceramics)
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17 pages, 3964 KiB  
Article
Coupling Response of Piezoelectric Semiconductor Composite Fiber under Local Temperature Change
by Chengcheng Liu and Wenjun Wang
Crystals 2024, 14(7), 628; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst14070628 - 8 Jul 2024
Viewed by 613
Abstract
This paper details the thermal–mechanical–electrical response of a piezoelectric semiconductor (PS) composite fiber composed of a PS layer and two piezoelectric layers under local temperature change. The phenomenological theory of thermal piezoelectric semiconductors (PSs) is adopted to obtain the analytical solution for each [...] Read more.
This paper details the thermal–mechanical–electrical response of a piezoelectric semiconductor (PS) composite fiber composed of a PS layer and two piezoelectric layers under local temperature change. The phenomenological theory of thermal piezoelectric semiconductors (PSs) is adopted to obtain the analytical solution for each field in the composite fiber under local temperature change. Our findings reveal that such temperature fluctuations induce local polarization, leading to the formation of local potential barriers and potential wells that effectively impede the flow of low-energy electrons along the fiber. Furthermore, the initial carrier concentration and geometric parameters of the composite fiber exert significant influence on its individual fields. The results contribute to the structural design and practical application of piezoelectric semiconductor devices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Ferroelectric, Piezoelectric and Dielectric Ceramics)
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12 pages, 3858 KiB  
Article
Wide Temperature Stability of BaTiO3-NaNbO3-Gd2O3 Dielectric Ceramics with Grain Core–Shell Structure
by Zicheng Zhao, Yaoning Bai, Mingwei Li and Huiming Ji
Crystals 2024, 14(6), 488; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst14060488 - 23 May 2024
Viewed by 996
Abstract
As consumer electronics and industrial control systems continue to evolve, the operating temperature range of capacitors is gradually increasing. Barium titanate-based ceramic capacitors are widely used in the field of high dielectrics, so temperature-stable barium titanate-based dielectric materials have been a hot research [...] Read more.
As consumer electronics and industrial control systems continue to evolve, the operating temperature range of capacitors is gradually increasing. Barium titanate-based ceramic capacitors are widely used in the field of high dielectrics, so temperature-stable barium titanate-based dielectric materials have been a hot research topic in the field of dielectric ceramics. The construction of a core–shell structure by unequal doping is an effective way to obtain temperature-stable dielectric materials. At the same time, this structure retains part of the highly dielectric tetragonal phase, and materials with overall high dielectric constants can be obtained. In this work, we prepared BaTiO3-xNaNbO3-0.002Gd2O3 (x = 1.0–6.0 mol%) as well as BaTiO3-0.05NaNbO3-yGd2O3 (y = 0–0.30 mol%) dielectric ceramics. On the basis of high-electronic-bandgap NaNbO3-modified BaTiO3 dielectric ceramics, a core–shell structure with a larger proportion of core phase was obtained by further doping the amphiphilic rare-earth oxide Gd2O3. By designing this core–shell structure, the temperature stability range of capacitors can be expanded. At a doping level of 5.0 mol% NaNbO3 and 0.20 mol% Gd2O3, the room temperature dielectric constant εr = 4266 and dielectric loss tan δ = 0.95% conforms to the X8R standard (from −55 °C to 150 °C, TCC < ±15%); volume resistivity ρv = 10,200 GΩ·cm and breakdown strength Eb = 13.5 kV/mm is attained in BaTiO3-based ceramics. The system has excellent dielectric and insulating properties; it provides a new solution for temperature-stable dielectric ceramics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Ferroelectric, Piezoelectric and Dielectric Ceramics)
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13 pages, 3322 KiB  
Article
Two Consecutive Negative Electrocaloric Peaks in <001>-Oriented PMN-30PT Single Crystals
by Yu Zhang, Weiping Gong, Zhen Li, Jianting Li, Changyu Li, Jun Chen, Yaodong Yang, Yang Bai and Wei-Feng Rao
Crystals 2024, 14(5), 458; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst14050458 - 12 May 2024
Viewed by 1186
Abstract
The versatile electrocaloric (EC) behaviors of the (1-x)Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-xPT (PMN-100xPT) single crystal are closely related to the multiple phase transitions under the multiple fields of electric field and temperature. In this work, the EC effect of [...] Read more.
The versatile electrocaloric (EC) behaviors of the (1-x)Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-xPT (PMN-100xPT) single crystal are closely related to the multiple phase transitions under the multiple fields of electric field and temperature. In this work, the EC effect of <001>-oriented PMN-30PT single crystals with chemical composition at morphotropic phase boundary has been studied during the phase transformation process from the ferroelectric rhombohedral (R) phase to the tetragonal (T) phase. Two consecutive negative EC peaks have been achieved for the first time. Based on the projection of the EC effect in the electric field-temperature phase diagram, the relationship between the EC behaviors and the phase transitions is further established. It was found that the monoclinic (M) phase actually existed during the transformation from the R phase to the T phase, and the related R-M phase transition and M-T phase transition could both induce negative EC peaks. Under the electric field of E = 10 kV/cm, the first negative EC peaks induced by the R-M phase transition is at 57 °C with ΔTmax = −0.11 K. And the M-T phase transition can produce a higher negative EC peak, and its value can reach −0.22 K at 68 °C. Based on thermodynamic calculations, the relationship between the entropy change in different phase transitions and the EC behaviors has been further elucidated. The negative EC effect originates from the structural entropy increase in the electric field-induced phase transition process. This work not only advances the research on the electrical properties of relaxor ferroelectric single crystals but also provides a new insight into high-performance ferroelectric materials design. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Ferroelectric, Piezoelectric and Dielectric Ceramics)
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19 pages, 5071 KiB  
Article
Magnetoelectric Properties of Aurivillius-Layered Perovskites
by Vadla Veenachary, Eskilla Venkata Ramana, Simhachalam Narendra Babu, Venkata Sreenivas Puli, Sujoy Saha, Gopalan Srinivasan, G. Prasad and N. V. Prasad
Crystals 2024, 14(4), 299; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst14040299 - 22 Mar 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1258
Abstract
In the present work, we have synthesized rare-earth ion modified Bi4−xRExTi2Fe0.7Co0.3O12−δ (RE = Dy, Sm, La) multiferroic compounds by the conventional solid-state route. Analysis of X-ray diffraction by Rietveld refinement confirmed the [...] Read more.
In the present work, we have synthesized rare-earth ion modified Bi4−xRExTi2Fe0.7Co0.3O12−δ (RE = Dy, Sm, La) multiferroic compounds by the conventional solid-state route. Analysis of X-ray diffraction by Rietveld refinement confirmed the formation of a polycrystalline orthorhombic phase. The morphological features revealed a non-uniform, randomly oriented, plate-like grain structure. The peaks evident in the Raman spectra closely corresponded to those of orthorhombic Aurivillius phases. Dielectric studies and impedance measurements were carried out. Asymmetric complex impedance spectra suggested the relaxation of charge carriers belonging to the non-Debye type and controlled by a thermally activated process. Temperature-dependent AC conductivity data showed a change of slope in the vicinity of the phase transition temperature of both magnetic and electrical coupling natures. Based on the universal law and its exponent nature, one can suppose that the conduction process is governed by a small polaron hopping mechanism but significant distortion of TiO6 octahedral. The doping of the A-sites with rare-earth element ions and changes in the concentrations of Fe and Co ions located on the B-sites manifested themselves in saturated magnetic hysteresis loops, indicating competitive interactions between ferroelectric and canted antiferromagnetic spins. The magnetic order in the samples is attributed to pair-wise interactions between adjacent Fe3+–O–Fe3+, Co2+/3+–O–Co3+/2+, and Co2+/3+–O–Fe3+ ions or Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interactions among magnetic ions in the adjacent sub-lattices. As a result, enhanced magnetoelectric coefficients of 42.4 mV/cm-Oe, 30.3 mV/cm-Oe, and 21.6 mV/cm-Oe for Bi4−xDyxTi2Fe0.7Co0.3O12−δ (DBTFC), Bi4−xLaxTi2Fe0.7Co0.3O12−δ (LBTFC), and Bi4−xSmxTi2Fe0.7Co0.3O12−δ (SBTFC), respectively, have been obtained at lower magnetic fields (<3 kOe). The strong coupling of the Aurivillius compounds observed in this study is beneficial to future multiferroic applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Ferroelectric, Piezoelectric and Dielectric Ceramics)
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16 pages, 4641 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Grain Growth on the Functional Properties in Room-Temperature Powder Aerosol Deposited Free-Standing (Ba,Ca)(Zr,Ti)O3 Thick Films
by Juliana G. Maier, Tim Fuggerer, Daisuke Urushihara, Alexander Martin, Neamul H. Khansur, Ken-ichi Kakimoto and Kyle G. Webber
Crystals 2024, 14(4), 296; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst14040296 - 22 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1484
Abstract
This study investigates the development of freestanding thick films (FSFs) of lead-free (Ba,Ca)(Zr,Ti)O3 and the role of grain growth on the electromechanical response. During deposition, room temperature powder aerosol deposition rapidly produces thick films with a nano-grain structure that limits the electromechanical [...] Read more.
This study investigates the development of freestanding thick films (FSFs) of lead-free (Ba,Ca)(Zr,Ti)O3 and the role of grain growth on the electromechanical response. During deposition, room temperature powder aerosol deposition rapidly produces thick films with a nano-grain structure that limits the electromechanical properties. In this study, the films are removed from the substrate using a sacrificial buffering layer to avoid thermal treatment and allow for an initial as-processed state. Following this, FSFs were thermally treated at various annealing temperatures from 800 °C to 1400 °C to induce grain growth, which was characterized with scanning and transmission electron microscopy. X-ray diffraction revealed an increase in the crystallite size consistent with an increase in grain size and a decrease in internal residual stress. The temperature-dependent dielectric behavior and the large-field ferroelectric response were also characterized, revealing significant differences of the FSFs from the bulk properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Ferroelectric, Piezoelectric and Dielectric Ceramics)
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9 pages, 8051 KiB  
Article
Improving the Energy Storage Performance of Barium Titanate-Based Ceramics through the Addition of ZnO-Bi2O3-SiO2 Glass
by Peifeng Xiong, Man Xiao, Zhonghua Yao, Hanxing Liu and Hua Hao
Crystals 2024, 14(3), 242; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst14030242 - 29 Feb 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1757
Abstract
Lead-free ceramics with excellent energy storage performance are important for high-power energy storage devices. In this study, 0.9BaTiO3-0.1Bi(Mg2/3Nb1/3)O3 (BT-BMN) ceramics with x wt% ZnO-Bi2O3-SiO2 (ZBS) (x = 2, [...] Read more.
Lead-free ceramics with excellent energy storage performance are important for high-power energy storage devices. In this study, 0.9BaTiO3-0.1Bi(Mg2/3Nb1/3)O3 (BT-BMN) ceramics with x wt% ZnO-Bi2O3-SiO2 (ZBS) (x = 2, 4, 6, 8, 10) glass additives were fabricated using the solid-state reaction method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed that the ZBS glass-added ceramics exhibited a perovskite structure, with the maximum relative density achieved at x = 6. The average grain size reduced obviously as the glass additive wt% increased. Also, the dielectric constant decreased and the breakdown strength increased with increases in the glass additives. The optimal energy storage density of 1.39 J/cm3 with an energy storage efficiency of 78.3% was obtained at x = 6 due to high maximum polarization and enhanced breakdown strength. The results demonstrate that this material is a potential candidate for high-pulse-power energy storage devices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Ferroelectric, Piezoelectric and Dielectric Ceramics)
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18 pages, 4769 KiB  
Article
Potentials and Limits of PMN-PT and PIN-PMN-PT Single Crystals for Pyroelectric Energy Harvesting
by Mohammed Es-Souni
Crystals 2024, 14(3), 236; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst14030236 - 28 Feb 2024
Viewed by 1580
Abstract
Waste heat is inherent to industrial activities, IT services (e.g., data centers and microprocessors), human mobility, and many other common processes. The power lost each year in this way has been estimated in the 1000 TWh in the EU which, owing to skyrocketing [...] Read more.
Waste heat is inherent to industrial activities, IT services (e.g., data centers and microprocessors), human mobility, and many other common processes. The power lost each year in this way has been estimated in the 1000 TWh in the EU which, owing to skyrocketing energy prices and not least the urgent need for decarbonizing the economy, has engendered tremendous research efforts among scientists and engineers to recover/recycle this waste energy. Beyond established thermal engineering solutions for waste heat, advances in multifunctional materials open new paradigms for waste heat harvesting. Two smart material types are of particular focus and interest at present; these are thermoelectric and pyroelectric materials, which can both transform heat to electrical power, though via different effects. The present paper summarizes our research work on a new class of pyroelectric materials, namely <111> oriented (1 − x)(Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–xPbTiO3 (PMN-PT) and x-Pb(In1/2 Nb1/2)O3-y-Pb(Mg1/3 Nb2/3)O3-(1 − x − y)-PbTiO3 (PIN-PMN-PT) single crystals that exhibit some of the highest pyroelectric properties ever measured. First, a figure of merit for pyroelectric energy harvesting is derived, followed by a detailed assessment of the properties of the said crystals and how they depend on structure, poling, thickness, and temperature. The properties are further contrasted with those of conventional pyroelectric crystals. It is concluded that the PMN-PT-base single crystals are best suited for harvesting devices with a working temperature range from 40 to 100 °C, which encompasses waste heat generated by data centers and some chemical and industrial processes, affording the highest figure of merit among pyroelectric materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Ferroelectric, Piezoelectric and Dielectric Ceramics)
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8 pages, 7628 KiB  
Article
High-Permittivity and Bias-Voltage-Insensitive (Ba,Sr,Ca)TiO3·0.03(Bi2O3·3TiO2) Ceramics with Y5U Specification
by Wei Li, Zhonghua Yao, Hua Hao, Minghe Cao and Hanxing Liu
Crystals 2023, 13(12), 1627; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst13121627 - 23 Nov 2023
Viewed by 1004
Abstract
Class II ceramics are a material with high permittivity but low reliability of their capacitance and bias voltage due to high the temperature sensitivity of their dielectric permittivity. In this work, a BST-based (Ba0.9−xSrxCa0.1)TiO3·0.03(Bi2 [...] Read more.
Class II ceramics are a material with high permittivity but low reliability of their capacitance and bias voltage due to high the temperature sensitivity of their dielectric permittivity. In this work, a BST-based (Ba0.9−xSrxCa0.1)TiO3·0.03(Bi2O3·3TiO2) (x = 0.2, 0.25, 0.3, 0.35, 0.4) composition with Y5U characteristics was investigated through compositional control to develop high-permittivity and voltage-stable ceramic compositions. Sr doping can increase the breakdown strength (Eb) but decreases the Curie temperature (Tc). The composition at x = 0.3 can obtain optimal comprehensive electrical properties, with high permittivity of 4206, low dielectric loss of ~0.009, and moderate breakdown strength (Eb) of 77.6 kV/cm, which meets Y5U specifications. Typically, a low bias-voltage dependence of capacitance is confirmed with a variation rate of 7.64% under 20 kV/cm. This strategy provides a promising candidate for high-permittivity Class II ceramic dielectrics that can be used in this field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Ferroelectric, Piezoelectric and Dielectric Ceramics)
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11 pages, 2983 KiB  
Article
Evolution Characteristics of Electric Field-Related Properties in Polymorphic Piezoceramics with Temperature-Impelled Phase Transition
by Chunlin Zhao, Haopeng Feng, Yanli Huang, Xiao Wu, Min Gao, Tengfei Lin and Cong Lin
Crystals 2023, 13(9), 1324; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst13091324 - 30 Aug 2023
Viewed by 1107
Abstract
In this work, to systematically investigate the evolution characteristics of electrical properties in polymorphic piezoceramics, the Ba(Ti0.92Zr0.08)O3 ceramics are selected as a paradigm that possesses all the general phase structures above room temperature. It is found that the [...] Read more.
In this work, to systematically investigate the evolution characteristics of electrical properties in polymorphic piezoceramics, the Ba(Ti0.92Zr0.08)O3 ceramics are selected as a paradigm that possesses all the general phase structures above room temperature. It is found that the evolution of electrical properties with temperature change can be divided into three stages based on phase structure transforming: high ferroelectric and stable strain properties at R and R-O, high ferroelectric and enhanced strain/converse piezoelectric properties at O, O-T, and T phase, and the rapidly decreased ferroelectric and strain properties in T-C and C phase. However, the ferroelectric and strain properties all increase with rising electric field and their evolution can be divided into two parts based on phase structures. The high property and slow increase rate are present at R, R-O, O, and O-T, while the poor property but a high increase rate is present around T-C. Similar results can be found in the evolution of electrostrictive property. Finally, the highest d33* of ~1240 pm/V and Q33 of ~0.053 m4/C2 are obtained at O-T due to the high ferroelectricity but easy domain switching. This work affords important guidance for the property optimization of polymorphic piezoceramics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Ferroelectric, Piezoelectric and Dielectric Ceramics)
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Review

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26 pages, 9403 KiB  
Review
Advanced Preparation Methods for Ceramic Membrane Materials in Electrochemical Applications
by Keqiang Fan, Mengyang Yu, Jincheng Lei and Shenglong Mu
Crystals 2024, 14(7), 623; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst14070623 - 6 Jul 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1897
Abstract
The outstanding thermal, chemical, and mechanical properties of ceramic membranes have attracted increasing attention, offering advantages over polymer and metal counterparts. Exploring the specialized applications of ceramic membranes through various preparation methods poses a daunting challenge for contemporary researchers. Traditional preparation methods are [...] Read more.
The outstanding thermal, chemical, and mechanical properties of ceramic membranes have attracted increasing attention, offering advantages over polymer and metal counterparts. Exploring the specialized applications of ceramic membranes through various preparation methods poses a daunting challenge for contemporary researchers. Traditional preparation methods are essentially unable to meet the requirements of complex membrane structures. For instance, in ceramic fuel cell applications, cells composed of ceramic membrane materials exhibit high resistance and low conductivity, which seriously hinders the progress of new high-performance ceramic fuel cells. Therefore, it is necessary to improve preparation methods to improve the electrochemical performance of devices composed of ceramic membrane materials. In recent years, breakthroughs in various new processing technologies have propelled the performance of ceramic membrane devices. This paper will focus on the following aspects. Firstly, traditional preparation methods and advanced preparation methods of ceramic membrane materials will be discussed. Secondly, high-performance ceramic membrane materials prepared by different advanced preparation methods are introduced, and the electrochemical properties of the devices composed of ceramic membrane materials are elaborated in combination with different testing and characterization methods. Finally, the prospects and future direction of the preparation of ceramic membrane materials by advanced preparation methods are summarized. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Ferroelectric, Piezoelectric and Dielectric Ceramics)
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24 pages, 7486 KiB  
Review
Recent Novel Fabrication Techniques for Proton-Conducting Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
by Mengyang Yu, Qiuxia Feng, Zhipeng Liu, Peng Zhang, Xuefeng Zhu and Shenglong Mu
Crystals 2024, 14(3), 225; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst14030225 - 26 Feb 2024
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1977
Abstract
Research has been conducted on solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) for their fuel flexibility, modularity, high efficiency, and power density. However, the high working temperature leads to the deterioration of materials and increased operating costs. Considering the high protonic conductivity and low activation [...] Read more.
Research has been conducted on solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) for their fuel flexibility, modularity, high efficiency, and power density. However, the high working temperature leads to the deterioration of materials and increased operating costs. Considering the high protonic conductivity and low activation energy, the proton conducting SOFC, i.e., the protonic ceramic fuel cell (PCFC), working at a low temperature, has been wildly investigated. The PCFC is a promising state-of-the-art electrochemical energy conversion system for ecological energy; it is characterized by near zero carbon emissions and high efficiency, and it is environment-friendly. The PCFC can be applied for the direct conversion of various renewable fuels into electricity at intermediate temperatures (400–650 °C). The construction of the PCFC directly affect its properties; therefore, manufacturing technology is the crucial factor that determines the performance. As a thinner electrolyte layer will lead to a lower polarization resistance, a uniformly constructed and crack-free layer which can perfectly bond to electrodes with a large effective area is challenging to achieve. In this work, different fabrication methods are investigated, and their effect on the overall performance of PCFCs is evaluated. This article reviews the recent preparation methods of PCFCs, including common methods, 3D printing methods, and other advanced methods, with summarized respective features, and their testing and characterization results. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Ferroelectric, Piezoelectric and Dielectric Ceramics)
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21 pages, 3643 KiB  
Review
Performance of LiTaO3 Crystals and Thin Films and Their Application
by Xuefeng Xiao, Shuaijie Liang, Jiashun Si, Qingyan Xu, Huan Zhang, Lingling Ma, Cui Yang and Xuefeng Zhang
Crystals 2023, 13(8), 1233; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst13081233 - 10 Aug 2023
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4498
Abstract
Lithium tantalate (LiTaO3, or LT) crystal is widely used in optical applications, infrared detection, and acoustic surface wave devices because of its excellent piezoelectric, pyroelectric, and nonlinear optical properties. In this paper, we discuss the defect structure of LT; the preparation [...] Read more.
Lithium tantalate (LiTaO3, or LT) crystal is widely used in optical applications, infrared detection, and acoustic surface wave devices because of its excellent piezoelectric, pyroelectric, and nonlinear optical properties. In this paper, we discuss the defect structure of LT; the preparation method for LT; the influence of doping on LT; and LT’s application in optical, acoustic, and electrical devices. We mainly analyzed the structure and physical properties of LT crystal, the preparation of LT crystal and LT thin films, the periodic polarization of LT crystal, the reduction of LT wafers, and the application potential of LT crystals in lasers and acoustic surface filters according to the most recent research. We also provide an overview of future research directions for LT in the fields of acoustics, optics, and other fields. The applications of LT in 5G, 6G, SAW filters, nonlinear optical devices, and waveguides are expected to provide additional breakthroughs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Ferroelectric, Piezoelectric and Dielectric Ceramics)
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