Recent progress in bismuth-based high Curie temperature piezo-/ferroelectric perovskites for electromechanical transduction applications

Abstract

Piezo-/ferroelectric materials with high Curie temperature (T_C) are widely needed in sensors, actuators and transducers which can be used for high-temperature (HT) electromechanical transduction applications. In recent years, remarkable progress has been made in bismuth-based piezo-/ferroelectric perovskite materials (BPPs). In this article, recent progress in high T_C BPPs is reviewed. This review starts with an introduction to HT piezoelectrics and their applications. A detailed survey is then carried out on bismuth-based perovskites (BPs) with high T_C. Material synthesis, doping effects and chemical modifications of the related solid solutions are examined. Based on this analysis, the structure–property relationship of these materials is established. In addition, recent developments of BPPs for HT electromechanical transduction applications are presented and evaluated. Lastly, some main existing issues are analyzed and their possible solutions are proposed. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the research and development of BPPs and offers some prospects towards making these materials a viable resource for the design and fabrication of electromechanical transducers with unique specifications, especially, high temperature, high frequency and high power, for a wide range of technological applications.