Industry specific piezoelectric project on KBT-BF-PT

Applications for piezoelectrics include vibration sensing, parking sensors, acoustics and ultrasonics which are currently facilitated by a wide range of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) based compositions. However, PZT is limited to an upper operating temperature of ~250 oC depending on composition and drive field and thus cannot be used for a range of new and existing high temperature applications such as sensors and actuators in fossil fuel plants, next generation nuclear plants and in extreme environments for automotive and aerospace applications. Ionix is a spin out company from the University of Leeds, based in Huddersfield, who have developed and patented new materials able to work reliably at much higher temperatures (>350 oC).

The project will make use of the 'state of the art' microscopy facilities in the Sorby Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis which includes an aberration corrected JEOL R005, capable of angstrom resolution in annular dark and bright field mode. Impedance spectroscopy, oxide-ion transport number and conductivity measurements will be performed in the newly refurbed (£1.5M) Functional Materials Lab in MSE (Sheffield) whilst ceramic fabrication and high temperature strain/piezoelectric measurements will be performed at Ionix during study visits and secondments.

The ultimate goal of the project is to develop materials and devices able to operate in extreme environments up to 500 oC.