Ferroelectric Ceramic (bulk and thick film) Fabrication
Development and synthesis of bulk electrocaloric (EC) ceramics which can reach large electrocaloric response under low electric field.
Penn State University is developing bulk electrocaloric (EC) ceramics which can reach large electrocaloric response under low electric field. For electrocaloric ceramics to be used in cooling test station and devices, EC ceramics should be manufactured in multilayer form similar to multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCC) to attain high EC response at voltages on the order of 200 V with high reliability. A first step to transition these bulk ceramics into EC multilayer ceramics is to study the synthesis conditions of ceramic thick films.
Penn State has extensive bulk ceramic synthesis capabilities, including powder preparation, ceramic synthesis and composition characterization of ceramic materials. In addition, the university operates unique ceramic thick film fabrication facilities that allow the preparation of ceramic layers down to 10 mm thickness. Collaborations with industrial partners enables the further conversion of thick EC films into EC multilayers using the MLCC fabrication technology.
Xiao-Shi Qian, Hui-jian Ye, Ying-Tang Zhang, Haiming Gu, Xinyu Li, C. Randall, and Q.M. Zhang, "Giant Electrocaloric Response in Modified BaTiO3 Ceramics Over A Broad Temperature Range," Adv. Funct. Mater. 24, 1300, (2014)
Ying Hou, Lu Yang, Xiaoshi Qian, Tian Zhang, Q. M. Zhang, "Enhanced electrocaloric effect in composition gradient bilayer thick films," Appl. Phys. Lett. 108, 133501 (2016)
