Influence of powder preparation process on piezoelectric properties of PZT sol-gel composite thick films

In this work, piezoelectric PbZr_0.52Ti_0.48O₃ (PZT) thick films were deposited onto silicon and alumina substrates using sol-gel composite slurry. Thick films prepared with rough and attrited powders are compared. A time stable polymeric PZT sol was first synthesised as the binder. It was then used as a precursor for PZT powder fabrication. Powder attrition ball milling was optimised to reduce the particles size to 200 nm. Composite slurries were obtained by mixing PZT sol with attrited or rough powders and thick films were deposited by dip-coating. The film thickness, roughness and microstructure were studied as a function of powder content, particle size, sol concentration and slurry ageing. Electromechanical measurements were performed. By strictly controlling each step of the thick film fabrication, high coupling factor (thickness mode, k_t) can be obtained using both types of powder. Nevertheless, with attrited powder, better and more reproducible effective coupling coefficients in thickness mode (k_t up to 46%) were reported on silicon and alumina substrates.     

Magnetostatic Coupling in CoFe2O4/Pb(Zr0.53Ti0.47)O3 Magnetoelectric Composite Thin Films of 2-2 Type Structure

CoFe₂O₄/Pb(Zr_0.53Ti_0.47)O₃ (CFO/PZT) magnetoelectric composite thin films of 2-2 type structure had been prepared onto Pt/Ti/SiO₂/Si substrate by a sol-gel process and spin coat-ing technique. The structure of the prepared thin film is substrate/PZT/CFO/PZT/CFO. Two CFO ferromagnetic layers are separated from each other by a thin PZT layer. The upper CFO layer is magnetostatically coupled with the lower CFO layer. Subsequent scan-ning electron microscopy (SEM) investigations show that the prepared thin films exhibit good morphologies and compact structure, and cross-sectional micrographs clearly display a multilayered nanostructure of multilayered thin films. The composite thin films exhibit both good magnetic and ferroelectric properties. The spacing between ferromagnetic layers can be varied by adjusting the thickness of intermediate PZT layer. It is found that the strength of magnetostatic coupling has a great impact on magnetoelectric properties of composite thin films, i.e., the magnetoelectric voltage coefficient of composite thin film tends to increase with the decreasing of pacing between two neighboring CFO ferromagnetic layers as a result of magnetostatic coupling effect.     

Bismuth titanate thin films prepared by wet-chemical techniques: effect of sol ageing time

In this work, layered perovskite bismuth titanate (Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂) thin films were fabricated on α-alumina substrates by spin coating process. Precursor sol was prepared by sol–gel process from bismuth nitrate and titanium butoxide in concentrated acetic acid, with diethylamine as a stabilizer. Processes occurring in the precursor sol were followed in the ageing period of 20 days. Thin films prepared from the as-synthesized and aged sols are crack-free, with the thickness of ~1 μm, uniform surface texture and rounded grains having grain size in nanometer range. Sintering of thin films was performed at various temperatures, and sintered thin films exhibited dense structure, fully crystallized with typical Aurivillius phase and without any preferred orientation and impurity phase. The influence of ageing of the precursor sol on the microstructure of obtained thin films was also investigated. Direct relation between hydrodynamic diameter of precursor particles and the morphology and the grain size of the obtained films was observed.     

Cu-particle-dispersed (K<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>Na<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>)NbO<Subscript>3</Subscript> composite thin films derived from sol–gel processing

Sol–gel processing of Cu-particle-dispersed (K_0.5Na_0.5)NbO₃ (Cu/KNN) thin films was studied in an attempt to develop a method producing piezoelectric composite films with good mechanical performance. The Cu/KNN films were prepared via crystallization annealing at 650–750 °C for 1 min in air, followed by reduction annealing at 400–500 °C for 1–2 h in a 5% H₂ and 95% Ar gas mixture. The resultant composite films consisted of perovskite KNN, metallic Cu, and Cu₄O₃. This suggests that the decomposition of Cu sources takes two different ways in this study. The Cu/KNN composite films containing Cu₄O₃ phases were produced by the crystallization annealing at 700 °C for 1 min followed by the reduction annealing at 500 °C for 1 h. Surface morphology observations reveal that these films have dense KNN matrix with a grain size of ~200 nm and uniformly dispersed Cu or Cu₄O₃ particles with a size of <500 nm.     

Preparation of Alumina Aerogel Films by Low Temperature CO2 Supercritical Drying Process

Alumina aerogel thin films were formed by a new synthesis route. Sols were prepared by the Yoldas process. Gels were formed by sol evaporation in a few hours. Films were prepared by dip coating glass or alumina substrates into both the sols and the gels. Aerogel films with special morphology were produced for the first time by exchanging the film solvent with acetone after the dip coating, followed by supercritical drying. The morphology of the films, studied by SEM and TEM, consists of fiber-like network of round chains (≈0.1 μm thick), and pores (0.1–0.5 μm in diameter). It is shown that the fibers contain a homogeneous arrangement of sol particles, 2–4 nm in size. Formation of this microstructure can be attributed to phase separation in the alumina-water-acetone system in a 2D film geometry. A conceptual model for the film development is proposed.     

Effect of biphase on dielectric properties of Bi-doped lead strontium titanate thin films

Pb_0.4Sr_0.6TiO₃ (PST) thin films doped with various concentration of Bi were prepared by a sol-gel method. The phase status, surface morphology and dielectric properties of these thin films were measured by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and impedance analyzer, respectively. Results showed that the thin films with the maximum dielectric constant and minimum dielectric loss were obtained for x=0.15. For x<0.15, only pure PST perovskite phase were in the thin films. For 0.2<x<0.4, the PST/Bi₂Ti₂O₇ biphase were obtained. The thin films with pure Bi₂Ti₂O₇ pyrochlore phase were obtained for x=0.67. The biphase thin films had high tunability and high figure of merit (FOM). The FOM of PST/Bi₂Ti₂O₇ biphase thin film was about 6 times higher than that thin films formed with pure perovskite phase or pure pyrochlore phase.     

Sol–gel preparation of highly transparent α-Fe<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> film for the application in red color filter

α-Fe₂O₃ films as inorganic red color filter were synthesized through a simple procedure, epoxide assisted sol–gel route. The sol was prepared through reaction of FeCl₂ in boiling ethanol solution with propylene oxide. The films were formed by the dip-coating of sol on substrate, drying and the following annealing steps. The obtained α-Fe₂O₃ films were composed of homogeneous distributed α-Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles with size of 30–50 nm. The film shows strong absorption to the light below 600 nm and high transparency to the red light (87% at 630 nm). As inorganic red color filter, the optic behavior of this film is nearly as same as the organic color filter made of dye.     

Preparation and characterization of nanocomposite ZnO–Ag thin film containing nano-sized Ag particles: influence of preheating,annealing temperature and silver content on characteristics

Nanocomposite ZnO–Ag thin film containing nano-sized Ag particles have been grown on glass substrate by spin-coating technique using zinc acetate dihydrate as starting precursor in 2-propanol as solvent and monoethanolamine as stabilizer. Silver nanoparticles were added in the ZnO sol using silver nitrate dissolved in ethanol-acetonitrile. Their structural, electrical, crystalline size and optical properties were investigated as a function of preheating, annealing temperature and silver content. The results indicated that the crystalline phase was increased with increase of annealing temperature up to 550 °C at optimum preheating temperature of 275 °C. Thermal gravimetric differential thermal analysis results indicated that the decomposition of pure ZnO and nanocomposite ZnO–Ag precursors occurred at 225 and 234 °C, respectively with formation of ZnO wurtzite crystals. The scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy revealed that the surface structure (the porosity and grain size) of the ZnO–Ag thin film (the film thickness is about 379 nm) was changed compared to pure ZnO thin film. The result of transmission electron microscopy showed that Ag particles were about 5 nm and ZnO particles 58 nm with uniform silver nanoclusters. Optical absorption results indicated that optical absorption of ZnO–Ag thin films decreased with increase of annealing temperature. Nanocomposite ZnO–Ag thin films with [Ag] = 0.068 M and [Ag] = 0.110 M showed an intense absorption band, whose maximum signals appear at 430 nm which is not present in pure ZnO thin films. The result of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that the binding energy of Ag 3d_5/2 for ZnO–Ag shifts remarkably to the lower binding energy compared to the pure metallic Ag due to the interaction between Ag and ZnO.     

Microstructure and properties of sol-gel derived Pb(Zr<Subscript>0.3</Subscript>Ti<Subscript>0.7</Subscript>)O<Subscript>3</Subscript> thin films on GaN/sapphire for nanoelectromechanical systems

Highly (111) oriented, phase-pure perovskite Pb(Zr_0.3Ti_0.7)O₃ (or PZT 30/70) thin films were deposited on single-crystal, (0001) wurtzite GaN/sapphire substrates using the sol-gel process and rapid thermal annealing. The phase, crystallinity, and stoichiometry of annealed PZT films were evaluated by X-ray diffraction and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy. The atomic force microscopy revealed a smooth PZT surface (rms roughness ∼1.5 nm) with striations and undulations possibly influenced by the nature of the underlying GaN surface. The cross-sectional field-emission scanning electron microscopic images indicated a sharper PZT/GaN interface compared to that of sol-gel derived PZT on (111) Pt/TiO₂/SiO₂/(100) Si substrates. The capacitance-voltage (C-V) characteristics for PZT in the Pt/PZT/GaN (metal-ferroelectric-semiconductor or MFS) configuration were evaluated as a function of annealing temperature and applied voltage. The observed C-V hysteresis stemmed from trapped charge at defect sites within PZT. Also, the lower capacitance density (C/A = 0.35 μF/cm², where A is the area of an electrode) and remnant polarization (P _r ∼ 4 μC/cm²) for PZT in the MFS configuration, compared to the values for PZT in the MFM configuration (Pt/PZT/Pt), were attributed to the high depolarization field within PZT.     

Structural and nanomechanical properties of sol–gel prepared (K,Na)NbO3 thin films

Perovskite (K, Na)NbO₃ (KNN) thin films (~100 nm) were prepared by sol–gel/spin coating process on Pt/SiO₂/Si substrates and annealed at 650 °C. The structural properties of KNN films were confirmed by X‐ray diffraction analysis (XRD), Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron, transmission electron and atomic force microscopy (SEM, TEM and AFM) analysis. Pure perovskite phase of K_0.65Na_0.35NbO₃ in nonstoichiometric composition with monoclinic symmetry in film was revealed. Uniform homogeneous microstructure of KNN film with the roughness (~6.9 nm) contained spherical particles (~50–90 nm). Nanoindentation technique was used to characterize the mechanical properties of KNN films. Elastic modulus and hardness of Pt, SiO₂ and KNN thin films were calculated from their composite values of KNN/Pt/SiO₂/Si film/substrate system. The modulus and hardness of KNN film (71 and 4.5 GPa) were lower in comparison with SiO₂ (100 and 7.5 GPa). Pt film (~30 nm) did not influence the composite modulus, but had effect on hardness of KNN film. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Alkoxide Derived SrBi2Ta2O9 Phase Pure Powder and Thin Films

Phase pure powder and thin films of the novel ferroelectric materials SrBi₂Ta₂O₉ (SBT) have been prepared using the organic precursors. The xero-gel formed was dried and characterized using TGA and DTA to determine the organic burn out and crystallization temperature of SBT. Powder X-ray diffraction was used systematically to check the crystallinity of SBT. Phase pure SBT powder was formed as low as 650°C and thin films at 600°C in comparison to other earlier reported work. SEM micrographs show a grain size of ≈0.1 μm and show crack free films with a film thickness of 2 μm.     

Effect of sol temperature on the structure,morphology, optical and photoluminescence properties of nanocrystalline zirconia thin films

Transparent nanocrystalline zirconia thin films were prepared by sol–gel dip coating technique using Zirconium oxychloride octahydrate as source material on quartz substrates, keeping the sol at room temperature (SET I) and 60 °C (SET II). X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern shows the formation of mixed phase [tetragonal (T) + monoclinic (M)] in SET I and a pure tetragonal phase in SET II ZrO₂ thin films annealed at 400 °C. Phase transformation from tetragonal to monoclinic was achieved in SET II film annealed at 500 °C. Atomic force microscopy analysis reveals lower rms roughness and skewness in SET II film annealed at 500 °C indicating better optical quality. The transmittance spectra gives a higher average transmittance >85% (UV–VIS region) in SET II films. Optical spectra indicate that the ZrO₂ films contain direct—band transitions. The sub- band in the monoclinic ZrO₂ films introduced interstitial O⁻defect states above the top of the valance band. The energy bandgap increased (5.57–5.74 eV) in SET I films and decreased (5.74–5.62 eV) in SET II films, with annealing temperature. This is associated with the variations in grain sizes. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra give intense band at 384 and 396 nm in SET I and SET II films, respectively. A twofold increase in the PL intensity is observed in SET II film. The “Red” shift of SET I films and “Blue” shift of SET II films with annealing temperature, originates from the change of stress of the film due to lattice distortions.     

Effect of substrate on phase formation and surface morphology of sol-gel lead-free KNbO3, NaNbO3, and K0.5Na0.5NbO3 thin films

Environmentally acceptable lead-free ferroelectric KNbO₃ (KN) or NaNbO₃ (NN) and K_0.5Na_0.5NbO₃ (KNN) thin films were prepared using a modified sol-gel method by mixing potassium acetate or sodium acetate or both with the Nb-tartrate complex, deposited on the Pt/Al₂O₃ and Pt/SiO₂/Si substrates by a spin-coating method and sintered at 650°C. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis indicated that the NN and KNN films on the Pt/SiO₂/Si substrate possessed a single perovskite phase, while NN and KNN films on the Pt/Al₂O₃ substrate contained a small amount of secondary pyrochlore phase, as did KN films on both substrates. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) and atomic force microscopic (AFM) analyses confirmed that roughness R _q of the thin KNN/Pt/SiO₂/Si film (?? 7.4 nm) was significantly lower than that of the KNN/Pt/Al₂O₃ film (?? 15 nm). The heterogeneous microstructure composed of small spherical and larger needle-like or cuboidal particles were observed in the KN and NN films on both substrates. The homogeneous microstructure of the KNN thin film on the Pt/SiO₂/Si substrate was smoother and contained finer spherical particles (?? 50 nm) than on Pt/Al₂O₃ substrates (?? 100 nm). The effect of different substrates on the surface morphology of thin films was confirmed.     

Effect of Incorporation of Silver on the Electrical Properties of Sol-Gel-Derived Titania Film

Metallic Ag nanoparticles-incorporating titania films were prepared using the sol-gel method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns, UV/Vis optical spectra and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images were recorded to characterize the Ag/titania composite films. Electrometer was used to estimate the resistance of Ag/titania composite film to understand the effect of the incorporation of metallic Ag nanoparticles on the electrical properties of titania film. The results showed that metallic Ag nanoparticles distributed randomly in titania film and most metallic Ag particles size was in the range of 5–15 nm. The agglomeration of a small quantity of metallic Ag particles occurred and when the amount of Ag species was increased the agglomeration was enhanced. The resistance of Ag/titania composite films decreased greatly compared with pure titania film.     

Fabrication and characterization of TiO2 photocatalytic thin film prepared from peroxo titanic acid sol

A novel sol–gel technique using the PTA (peroxo titanic acid) sol as precursor for the fabrication of TiO₂ photocatalytic thin film is introduced in this paper. The peroxo titanic acid sol was synthesized from titanyl sulfate (TiOSO₄), ammonia and peroxide solution (H₂O₂). The transparent and porous TiO₂ thin film was prepared via a sol–gel technique using PTA sol and polyethylene glycol (PEG) as precursor and template, respectively. The TiO₂ thin film samples were characterized by the X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV–visible spectrophotometry (UV–vis), X-ray photoelectron spectrum (XPS) and thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA) technique. The PTA sol displayed amorphous TiO₂ below 100 °C. The anatase phase formed at 200 °C to 700 °C. The crystallinity of anatase phase was improved with increasing temperature. The anatase crystals on the surface of TiO₂ film were strip-like, the size being about 100 nm in length and 40 nm in diameter. Addition of PEG to the PTA sol developed porous structures in the film and changed the size and shape of the particles. The surface of the film contained Ti, O and C elements and Na element that diffused into the film from the glass substrate. The photocatalytic performance of TiO₂ film was tested for the degradation of 10 mg/L methyl orange. The degradation of methyl orange solution reached 98.9% after irradiated for 180 min under UV light. The porous TiO₂ thin film exhibited high photocatalytic activity towards degrading methyl orange.     

Infrared spectroscopic study of microwave-sintered Pb(Zr,Ti)O<Subscript>3</Subscript>-based ceramics

Infrared spectroscopy is often used to monitor the formation of the perovskite phase during the preparation of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin films and fibres and also to detect phase transitions. Infrared spectroscopy has rarely been used to investigate bulk samples or thick films of PZT. In this study, the first results of infrared investigations of microwave-sintered PZT and PZT reinforced with powdered copper are presented and compared with results from thermally heated samples. The infrared spectra show the typical Zr/TiO₆ metal–oxygen octahedral vibrational modes in the range 750 to 450 cm⁻¹. This band is broadened for the pure PZT samples at higher sintering temperatures. A shift of the peak to lower wave numbers with increasing temperatures can be proven for pure PZT samples, but not for the Cu-reinforced PZT samples.     

Structure and properties of (1−x)(0.6Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.4Pb (Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3)-xPbTiO3 thin films with perovskite phase promoted by polyethylene glycol

The preferential formation of a pyrochlore structure is a knotty problem in the preparation of Pb(Zn_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃ (PZN)-based thin film materials and its presence is significantly detrimental to the dielectric and piezoelectric properties. In this study, 40 mol% of PZN was replaced with Pb(Mg_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃ (PMN) for obtaining a perovskite composition around a morphotropic phase boundary (MPB), (1−x)(0.6PZN-0.4PMN)-xPT ((1−x)PZMN-xPT, PT: PbTiO₃) where x = 0.23. The thin films with this composition were prepared with a polyethylene glycol (PEG) modi-fied sol-gel method on LaAlO₃ substrates. The microstructural evolution of the films on heat treatment was examined with X-ray diffraction. With the aid of PEG, the formation of the pyrochlore phase was suppressed and the perovskite phase formed directly from the amorphous gel film. The multilayer films with a thickness around 0.25 μm showed a single perovskite phase without any detectable pyrochlore structure. Microscopic images showed uniform grain size of a few tens of nanometers. The role of the polymer dramatically promoting the perovskite phase was investigated with the aid of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and thermal analysis. The dielectric constant of the obtained film was 4160 at 1 kHz. The film demonstrated typical ferroelectric hysteresis loops and exhibited excellent piezoelectric performance.     

Comparison of the properties of PZTNB-1 + Ni<Subscript>0.9</Subscript>Co<Subscript>0.1</Subscript>Cu<Subscript>0.1</Subscript>Fe<Subscript>1.9</Subscript>O<Subscript>4 − δ</Subscript> magnetoelectric composites manufactured from components synthesized by Sol-Gel processes

Processes were developed for manufacturing mixed magnetoelectric (ME) composites (100 − x) wt % PZTNB-1 + x wt % Ni_0.9Co_0.1Cu_0.1Fe_1.9O_{4 − δ} using sol-gel processes to synthesize piezoelectric and magnetostrictive components; these processes provide composite ceramics having different connectivity types with the same composition. When PZTNB-1 prepared by the sol-gel process is used for manufacturing the composites, there is a deep one-way doping of the piezoelectric with ferrite constituents, and this doping considerably reduces the degree of tetragonal distortion of the perovskite unit cell to the point of disappearance. In contrast, when coarse-grained PZTNB-1 powder and a ferrite nanopowder prepared by the sol-gel process are used, undesirable doping is completely inhibited. This type of composite has the highest ME transduction efficiency, by two or more times exceeding the ME ceramics of the same composition manufactured by other processes.     

Fabrication of Ordered TiO2 Porous Thin Films by Sol-Dipping PS Template Method

Monolayer polystyrene spheres (∼400 nm) array templates were assembled orderly on clean glass substrates by dip-drawing method from emulsion of PS and porous TiO₂ thin films were prepared by using sol-dipping template method to fill TiO₂ sol into the interstices among the close-packed PS templates and then annealing to remove the PS templates. The effects of TiO₂ precursor sol concentration and dipping time in sol on the porous structure of the thin films were studied. The results showed pore size of the ordered TiO₂ porous thin film depended mainly on PS size and partly on TiO₂ sol concentration. The shrinkage of pore diameter was about 10% for 0.2 M and 20% for 0.4 M TiO₂ sol concentrations. X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra indicated the porous thin film was anatase structure. The transmittance spectrum showed that optical transmittance of the porous thin film kept above 70% beyond the wavelength of 430 nm. Optical band-gap of the porous TiO₂ thin film (fired at 550^∘;C) was 3.12 eV.     

Synthesis and characterization of novel InVO<Subscript>4</Subscript>–TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> thin films using the low temperature sol

The InVO₄ sol was obtained by a mild hydrothermal treatment (the precursor precipitation solution at 423 K, for 4 h). Novel visible-light activated photocatalytic InVO₄–TiO₂ thin films were synthesized through a sol–gel dipping method from the composite sol, which was obtained by mixing the low temperature InVO₄ sol and TiO₂ sol. The photocatalytic activities of the new InVO₄–TiO₂ thin films under visible light irradiation were investigated by the photocatalytic discoloration of methyl orange aqueous solution. The thin films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy (UV–Vis). The results revealed that the InVO₄ doped thin films enhanced the methyl orange degradation rate under visible light irradiation, 3.0 wt% InVO₄–TiO₂ thin films reaching 80.1% after irradiated for 15 h.