SBIR Phase II: High Performance Lead-Free Piezoelectric Ceramics

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project proposes to focus on the formation of grain-oriented (textured) lead-free piezoelectric and dielectric ceramics for various electroceramic and transducer applications. The overall objective of this project will be to produce lead-free ceramics with high piezoelectric performance, and demonstrate that these materials can be used in existing actuator/transducer designs, especially for applications currently using lead-based ceramics. The broader impacts will be the elimination of lead-based compositions, such as lead zirconate titanate (PZT), there are no commercially available lead-free compositions that possess comparable properties to PZT. Beyond the commercial effect, lead is known to be toxic, so commercial products containing lead present serious health and environmental hazards at both a local and global level. Therefore, there is a substantial need for a high performance, lead-free piezoelectric ceramic with properties comparable to lead-based compositions in order to sustain the growth of piezoelectric transducers and sensor market, while meeting the many environmental and health needs.