• Naturally Occuring Substances
• Naturally Occuring Biotic Substances
• Artificial Substances : Crystals
• Artificial Substances : Ceramics
• Lead Free Piezo Ceramics

Man-made ceramics

Barium titanate (BaTiO₃)

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  Barium titanate

Barium titanate is the inorganic compound with the chemical formula BaTiO₃. Barium titanate is a white powder and transparent as larger crystals. This titanate is a ferroelectric ceramic material, with a photorefractive effect and piezoelectric properties.

Lead titanate (PbTiO₃)

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  Lead titanate

Lead(II) titanate is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula PbTiO₃. It is the lead salt of titanic acid. Lead(II) titanate is a yellow powder that is insoluble in water.At high temperatures lead titanate adopts a cubic perovskite structure. At 720 K the material undergoes a second order phase transition to a tetragonal perovskite structure which exhibits ferroelectricity. Lead titanate is one of the end members of the lead zirconate titanate system, which is technologically one of most important ferroelectric ceramics.

Lead zirconate titanate

Lead zirconate titanate, also called PZT, is a ceramic perovskite material that shows a marked piezoelectric effect. PZT-based compounds are composed of the chemical elements lead and zirconium and the chemical compound titanate which are combined under extremely high temperatures. A mechanical filter is then used to filter out the particulates. PZT-based compounds are used in the manufacturing of ultrasound transducers, in the manufacturing of ceramic capacitors, STM/AFM actuators (tubes), and the like.

Lithium niobate

Lithium niobate (LiNbO₃) is a compound of niobium, lithium, and oxygen. Its single crystals are an important material for optical waveguides, mobile phones, optical modulators and various other linear and non-linear optical applications.

Lithium tantalate

Lithium tantalate (LiTaO₃), is a crystalline solid which possesses unique optical, piezoelectric and pyroelectric properties which make it valuable for nonlinear optics, passive infrared sensors such as motion detectors, terahertz generation and detection, surface acoustic wave applications, cell phones and possibly pyroelectric nuclear fusion. Considerable information is available from commercial sources about this crystal.

Sodium tungstate

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  Sodium tungstate

Sodium tungstate, Na₂WO₄, a tungstate of sodium, is useful as a source of tungsten. It is prepared from tungsten ores used to manufacture tungsten by reducing it.It is often found as the dihydrate, Na₂WO₄•2H₂O. This salt is soluble in water and is a moderately strong oxidizing agent, but finds no common use in the chemistry laboratory. Like the molybdate, the deep-coloured complex tungstate(VI,V) is formed on reducing the compound with a very mild reducing agent, such as complex organic compounds. It is also thought to be a possible inhibitor of protein-tyrosine phosphatase (PTPase). It is also sometimes used as a fireproofing agent.