Lead-Free Piezoelectric Material Stabilizing Crystal Structure

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing piezoelectric materials face challenges with significant variations in performance due to phase transitions within operation temperature ranges, leading to unstable piezoelectric properties and low mechanical quality factors, which affects the reliability of devices such as ultrasonic motors and image pickup apparatuses.

Innovation Solution

A lead-free piezoelectric material composed of (Ba,Ca)(Ti,Zr,Sn)O3 with specific doping levels of Mn, Li, and Bi, which stabilizes the crystal structure and enhances mechanical quality factors, preventing phase transitions within the operation temperature range and maintaining high piezoelectric performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If piezoelectric materials are used in resonant devices, then high mechanical quality factor is required for efficient operation, but existing materials exhibit low mechanical quality factor causing high power consumption and heat generation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidmechanical quality factor
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the compositional parameters of the piezoelectric material by incorporating specific ratios of Ba, Ca, Ti, Zr, Sn, Li, Bi, and Mn elements. This compositional adjustment modifies the material's crystal structure and electrical properties, achieving a high mechanical quality factor (Qm ≥ 500) while maintaining lead-free composition, thereby reducing power consumption and heat generation in resonant devices

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite piezoelectric material system combining multiple elements (Ba, Ca, Ti, Zr, Sn, Li, Bi, Mn) in a perovskite structure. This composite approach allows synergistic effects where Li and Bi doping enhances piezoelectric properties while Mn addition improves mechanical quality factor, achieving both high efficiency and reliability in ultrasonic motors and other resonant devices

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If piezoelectric materials undergo phase transition to maximize piezoelectricity, then piezoelectric performance increases at transition temperatures, but piezoelectric performance varies considerably with temperature changes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepiezoelectric performance stabilityVSAvoidtemperature range performance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the Curie temperature and phase transition characteristics by adjusting the compositional parameters, particularly the ratios of Zr, Sn, Li, and Bi elements. This shifts the phase transition temperatures outside the operational range (-30°C to 70°C), maintaining stable piezoelectric performance across the entire temperature range without significant variations, thereby improving reliability for household appliance applications

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The proposed material achieves stable piezoelectric properties and high mechanical quality factors, reducing temperature-dependent variations and enhancing the reliability and efficiency of devices like ultrasonic motors and image pickup apparatuses.

Implementation Method 1

preventing phase transitions within the operation temperature range

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhase transition: Phase Change

Implementation Method 2

stabilizes the crystal structure

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCrystal structure stabilization:

Implementation Method 3

piezoelectric material composed of (Ba,Ca)(Ti,Zr,Sn)O3

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPiezoelectric effect: Piezoelectric Effect

Data Source

PatentEP2749550B1Piezoelectric material, piezoelectric element, and electronic apparatus
Publication Date: 2017.05.17 CANON KK
  • EP2749550B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2749550B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP2749550B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

A piezoelectric material includes a metal oxide represented by general formula (1) below, a Mn content is 0.04 parts by weight or more and 0.36 parts by weight or less, a Li content α is 0.0013 parts by weight or more and 0.0280 parts by weight or less, a Bi content β is 0.042 parts by weight or more and 0.850 parts by weight or less, and the contents α and β satisfy 0.5 ≤ (α·MB) / (β·ML) ≤ 1 (Ba1-xCax)a(Ti1-y-zZrySnz)O3 (1) (where x, y, z, and a satisfy 0.09 ≤ x ≤ 0.30, 0.025 ≤ y ≤ 0.074, 0 ≤ z ≤ 0.02, and 0.986 < a ≤ 1.02). A piezoelectric material according to an embodiment of the present invention contains no lead, has a low degree of temperature dependency of piezoelectric performance within operation temperature ranges of piezoelectric elements, and good piezoelectric properties.