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Low-Temperature Sintering of Bi0.5 (Na, K) 0.5tio3 For Multilayer Ceramic Actuators
Low-Temperature Sintering of Bi0.5 (Na, K) 0.5tio3 For Multilayer Ceramic Actuators
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Low-Temperature Sintering of Bi0.5(Na,K)0.5TiO3 for Multilayer
Ceramic Actuators
Chang Won Ahn,‡ Hee Sung Kim,‡ Won Seok Woo,‡ Sung Sik Won,‡ Hae Jin Seog,‡ Song A Chae,‡
Bong Chan Park,‡ Ki Bong Jang,§ Yun Po Ok,§ Hyon Ho Chong,§ and Ill Won Kim‡,†
‡
Department of Physics and EHSRC, University of Ulsan, Ulsan 680-749, Korea
§
R&D Center, Samjeon Co. Ltd, Ulsan 689-934, Korea
We investigated the influence of CuO amount (0.5–3.0 mol%), the active layers and internal electrodes. Therefore, it is
sintering temperature (900°C–1000°C), and sintering time important to find combinations of materials that do not have
(2–6 h) on the low-temperature sintering behavior of CuO- these problems.
added Bi0.5(Na0.78K0.22)0.5TiO3 (BNKT22) ceramics. Normal- Ag–Pd internal electrodes are widely used in MLCAs.
ized strain (Smax/Emax), piezoelectric coefficient (d33), and rem- However, Bi ions usually react with Pd elements at high
anent polarization (Pr) of 1.0 mol% CuO-added BNKT22 cofiring temperatures above 1100°C.16,17 Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3-
ceramics sintered at 950°C for 4 h was 280 pm/V, 180 pC/N, based ceramics should be sintered at temperatures higher
and 28 lC/cm2, respectively. These values are similar to those than 1150°C to obtain complete densification. Therefore, if a
of pure BNKT22 ceramics sintered at 1150°C. In addition, we MLCA is produced at a high sintering temperature using
investigated the performance of multilayer ceramic actuators BNT-based ceramics as the active layer material and Ag–Pd
made from CuO-added BNKT22 in acoustic sound speaker as the internal electrode, the actuating performance of the
devices. A prototype sound speaker device showed similar out- MLCA may suffer.
put sound pressure levels as a Pb(Zr,Ti)O3-based device in the Nguyen et al. tried to fabricate MLCAs using BNT-based
frequency range 0.66–20 kHz. This result highlights the feasi- ceramics with Ag–Pd (7:3) internal electrodes.18 However,
bility of using low-cost multilayer ceramic devices made of the Ag–Pd electrodes were not perfectly active at cofiring
lead-free BNKT-based piezoelectric materials in sound speaker temperatures of 1100°C–1140°C, and the electrical properties
devices. of the MLCAs deteriorated compared to those of bulk
ceramics. Low-temperature sintering of ceramics is therefore
important to prevent a decrease in performance of MLCAs
I. Introduction and to produce them at low cost. High sintering tempera-
tures can decrease the stability of piezoelectric properties
I N the past decade, lead-free piezoelectric ceramics such as
(K,Na)NbO3 (KNN) and Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3 (BNT)-based
materials have been widely studied as replacements for lead-
because of the formation of interfacial microdefects and
internal electrode loss. Moreover, the ratio of expensive Pd
based materials because of environmental concerns about in Ag–Pd internal electrodes has to be increased. Therefore,
Pb-containing materials such as lead zirconate titanate, the sintering temperature of BNT-based ceramics needs to be
which contains more than 60 wt% Pb.1–3 decreased for practical application of MLCAs.
Recently, many studies on lead-free piezoelectric ceramics In this study, we investigated the low-temperature sinter-
have been published.3–5 Among various lead-free piezoelec- ing behavior of CuO-added Bi0.5(Na0.78K0.22)0.5TiO3
tric materials, BNT-based ceramics are of particular interest (BNKT22) ceramics. In particular, we evaluated the influence
because of their high electric-field-induced strain6–8 and of the amount of CuO (0.5–3.0 mol%), sintering temperature
blocking force,9,10 which play important roles in piezoelectric (900°C–1000°C), and sintering time (2–6 h). In addition, we
actuator applications. evaluated the performance of acoustic sound speaker devices
Even though many studies have reported the physical containing MLCAs made from CuO-added BNKT22.
properties of BNT-based lead-free ceramics, only a few
reports are available about their practical applications.11–13 II. Experimental Procedures
Multilayer ceramic devices such as multilayer ceramics actua-
tors (MLCAs) and multilayer ceramics capacitors are widely
used in industry.14,15 In this study, we developed a MLCA
using BNT-based materials. When developing a MLCA, the (1) Low-Temperature Sintering of
difference in thermal expansion coefficients and reaction Bi0.5(Na0.78K0.22)0.5TiO3 Ceramics
between the internal electrode and active material should be Bi0.5(Na0.78K0.22)0.5TiO3 (BNKT22) powder was prepared
considered because the MLCA is cofired with the internal using a conventional solid-state reaction method. Bi2O3,
electrode. Differences in thermal expansion coefficients or Na2CO3, TiO2, and K2CO3 (99.9% High Purity Chemicals,
reactions between the internal electrode and active material Saitama, Japan) were the starting raw materials. Before
can cause significant problems in the MLCA, such as internal weighing, the raw powders were dried in an oven at 80°C for
cracks in the active ceramics layers or microdefects between 24 h to remove any moisture. Starting materials were
weighed according to the stoichiometric ratio and then ball-
milled for 24 h in ethanol with zirconia balls. Upon drying
at 80°C, the powders were ground and calcined at 850°C for
J. Jones—contributing editor
2 h in a covered alumina crucible. Powders were ground and
ball-milled again using the same conditions as described for
the initial milling step to prepare fine and uniform particles.
Manuscript No. 35978. Received November 26, 2014; approved February 18, 2015. Then, an excess amount of CuO at 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, or 3.0 mol%
†
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. e-mail: kimiw@mail.ulsan.ac.kr was introduced to the calcined pure BNKT22 powder, and
1877
1878 Journal of the American Ceramic Society—Ahn et al. Vol. 98, No. 6
the mixed powders were ball-milled again for 24 h, then trical properties. Silver paste was applied through screen
dried at 100°C for 24 h. The obtained powders were mixed printing of both surfaces of the disks as electrodes. After
with an aqueous polyvinyl alcohol solution, and made into applying the silver paste, disks were fired at 700°C for
green disks with diameters of 10 mm at a pressure of 30 min. Ferroelectric hysteresis loops were measured in sili-
100 MPa. After binder burnout at 500°C, the disks were sin- con oil with the aid of a Sawyer–Tower circuit to apply an
tered at sintering temperatures ranging from 900°C to electric field with a sinusoidal waveform. Electric-field-
1000°C and sintering times ranging from 2 to 6 h in closed induced strain was measured with a linear variable differen-
alumina crucibles. tial transducer (Mitutoyo MCH-331 & M401, Kawasaki,
Purity and formation of the desired phase in sintered Japan). The piezoelectric charge coefficient d33 was mea-
samples were monitored by powder X-ray diffraction sured using a piezo d33 meter (ZJ-3A; Institute of Acous-
(XRD; X’ Pert-PRO, PANalytical, Almelo, the Nether- tics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China).
lands) using CuKa1 radiation. For microstructural analysis,
the surface of the as-sintered samples was removed by lap-
ping. Lapped samples were then mirror-polished and ther- (2) Fabrication of Multilayer Ceramic Actuators
mally etched at 900°C–1000°C for 10 min depending on Slurries for tape-casting were prepared by mixing the cal-
their composition. Finally, Field-emission scanning electron cined powders, solvent, binder, and plasticizer. As inner elec-
microscopy (FE-SEM; S-4200, Hitachi, Tokyo, Japan) was trodes, silver-palladium paste (SJAP-12-510X; Sung Jee
used to examine the microstructure of the polished and Tech. Co., Suwon, Korea) was screen-printed on the sheet.
thermally etched samples. Sintered disk-type samples were Ag and Pd contents were 90% and 10%, respectively. CuO
polished down to a thickness of 1 mm to assess their elec- 1.0 mol%-added BNKT22 ceramic green sheets were pre-
pared by tape-casting a slurry containing CuO 1.0 mol%-
added BNKT22 powder, ethyl alcohol (94% purity, ethanol;
SK Chemical, Sungnam, Korea), methyl ethyl ketone
(99.5% purity, MEK; Daejung Chemical & Metals Co., Ltd)
as a solvent, polyvinyl butyral (BM-SZ; Sekisui Chemical
Co., Ltd, Tokyo, Japan) as a binder, dibutyl phthalate
(94%; Daejung Chemical & Metals Co., Ltd) as a plasti-
cizer, and BYK-112 (BYK Chemical, Wesel, Germany) as a
dispersant.
The slurry was tape-casted using a doctor blade to a thick-
ness of about 40 lm and then dried at room temperature.
Ag–Pd paste was screen-printed on the ceramic sheet as the
inner electrode. Ceramic sheets with thick film electrodes
were stacked and then pressed at 50°C under 50 MPa pres-
sure for 5 s to enhance adhesion between layers. Each sheet
was laminated and cut to form a green compact. The final
Fig. 1. X-ray diffraction patterns of BNKT22 ceramics sintered at dimensions of the green compact were about
1150°C and BNKT22-CuO 1 mol% ceramics sintered at 900°C, 25.0 mm 9 20.0 mm 9 0.25 mm. Six layers of sheets were
950°C, and 1000°C for 4 h. laminated and internal electrodes were connected to the
(a) (b)
(c) (d)
Fig. 2. FE-SEM images of (a) pure BNKT22 ceramics sintered at 1150°C and BNKT22:CuO 1.0 mol% ceramics sintered at (b) 1000°C, (c)
950°C, and (d) 900°C for 4 h. All sample surfaces were thermally etched at each sintering temperature for 10 min after polishing.
June 2015 Bi0.5(Na,K)0.5TiO3 MLCA 1879
Fig. 3. EDX mapping results of BNKT22:CuO 1.0 mol% ceramics sintered at 950°C for 4 h: (a) Surface morphology (b) Cu-mapping, (c) Bi-
mapping, (d) Na-mapping, (e) K-mapping, (f) Ti-mapping.
(a) (b)
(c) (d)
Fig. 4. (a) Piezoelectric coefficient (d33) and normalized strain (Smax/Emax), (b) bipolar S–E loops, (c) unipolar S–E loops, and (d) P–E loops of
BNKT22:CuO 1.0 mol% ceramics samples as a function of sintering temperature. Pure BNKT22 sintered at 1150°C was used as the reference
sample.
1880 Journal of the American Ceramic Society—Ahn et al. Vol. 98, No. 6
(a) (b)
(c) (d)
Fig. 5. Piezoelectric coefficient (d33) and normalized strain (Smax/Emax) of CuO-added BNKT22 ceramics as a function of CuO content at
sintering temperatures of (a) 925°C, (b) 950°C, (c) 975°C, and (d) 1000°C. All specimens were sintered for 4 h.
(a) (b)
Fig. 6. Piezoelectric coefficient (d33) and normalized strain (Smax/Emax) of BNKT22:CuO 1.0 mol% ceramics as a function of sintering time at a
sintering temperature of (a) 925°C and (b) 950°C.
June 2015 Bi0.5(Na,K)0.5TiO3 MLCA 1881
(a) (b)
Fig. 9. (a) Cross-sectional FE-SEM micrograph and (b) magnified micrograph images of the fracture surface of a multilayer ceramic actuator
(MLCA) fabricated using BNKT22:CuO 1.0 mol% powder and Ag–Pd (9:1) internal electrodes. Specimens were cofired at 950°C for 4 h in air.
(a) (b)
(c)
Fig. 10. (a) Sound pressure level (SPL) versus frequency curve of piezoelectric speakers prepared using (1) Pb-based MLCA (0.12 mm
thickness) in a 24 mm 9 30 mm frame, (2) BNKT22:CuO 1.0 mol% MLCA (0.2 mm thickness) in a 24 mm 9 30 mm frame, and (3) BNKT22:
CuO 1.0 mol% MLCA (0.2 mm thickness) in a 60 mm 9 70 mm frame with a PET diaphragm (250 lm thickness). (b) Schematic diagram of
the piezoelectric MLCA consisting of six active layers. (c) Schematic diagram of the piezoelectric speaker consisting of the piezoelectric MLCA
and PET diaphragm.
of the piezoelectric properties of the ceramics. These data 24 mm 9 30 mm metal frame. A lead-based piezoelectric
suggested that BNKT22:CuO 1.0 mol% is suitable for use in speaker was prepared for comparison. The SPL of lead-free
lead-free piezoelectric devices. To investigate the practical piezoelectric speakers at frequencies ranging from 100 and
applications of this material, we fabricated a prototype 20 000 Hz was measured, and the results are shown in
MLCA device. Fig. 10(a) along with those obtained using a lead-based pie-
To examine the thermal stability of the BNKT22:CuO zoelectric speaker that was prepared using a lead-based mate-
1.0 mol% and Ag–Pd (9:1) layers, cross-sectional microstruc- rial with a high d33 value of ~500 pC/N. The SPL of the
tures of MLCA specimens were observed by FE-SEM. speaker was calculated using the following equation:20
Cross-sectional microstructures of the fracture surface of a
MLCA specimen cofired at 950°C for 4 h in air are shown
I
in Fig. 9. Gray areas in Fig. 9(a) correspond to BNKT22: SPL ¼ 10 log 10
CuO 1.0 mol% layers and bright lines between them indicate Iref
electrode layers. MLCA specimen shows dense BNKT22:
CuO 1.0 mol% layers with good thickness uniformity and a where I is the intensity of the sound and Iref is the intensity
thickness of about 35 lm. When producing MLCAs using of the reference.
general BNT-based materials, even if using an Ag–Pd (7: 3) The fundamental frequency (f0) of the lead-free piezoelec-
internal electrode, serious defects such as vertical cracks in tric speaker prepared with BNKT22:CuO 1.0 mol% ceramics
active layers and local disconnections in internal electrode was 810 Hz and the SPL value at f0 was about 67 dB. This
can occur because of the requirement for cofiring at a tem- speaker had a similar average SPL value to that of the lead-
perature of 1150°C, which is near the melting point of the based piezoelectric speaker in the frequency range from 2 to
electrode.18 However, in this study, no serious defects were 20 kHz. However, the f0 (810 Hz) of the BNKT22-based
evident. To more clearly observe the interface between speaker was higher than that of the lead-based speaker
BNKT22:CuO 1.0 mol% and internal electrode layers, (300 Hz). This difference in f0 was mainly due to the different
higher magnification micrographs were taken from the same thicknesses of the MLCA. Therefore, the weak SPL at low
specimens as shown in Fig. 9(b). The Ag–Pd (9:1) layer had frequencies of the BNKT22-based speaker can be modified
good thickness uniformity with a thickness of about 2 lm by changing the sample size and structure of the speaker. In
regardless of cofiring because of the low firing temperature this work, the BNKT22-based speaker was modified using a
of 950°C. PET diaphragm to improve SPL characteristics at low fre-
We next fabricated a piezoelectric speaker using a bender- quencies, as shown in Fig. 10(c), and the properties of this
type piezoelectric MLCA with six active layers of BNKT22: speaker are displayed in Fig. 10(a). The f0 of the BNKT22-
CuO 1.0 mol% and an Ag–Pd (9:1) internal electrode in a based speaker modified with a PET diaphragm was 660 Hz
June 2015 Bi0.5(Na,K)0.5TiO3 MLCA 1883
2
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9
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11
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14
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Acknowledgments 18
V. Nguyen, H. Han, H. Lee, J. Yoon, K. Ahn, and J. Lee, “Preparation
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19
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