SBIR Phase I: Fabrication of Single-Crystal-Like PMNPT

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目致力于大规模生产高性能压电单晶的低成本技术。这种方法可能会导致新一代工程压电晶体展示出以前无法获得的低成本、高质量和大容量的属性。该技术采用了一种新的烧结工艺，克服了纯单晶在机械强度、尺寸和均匀性方面的传统限制。该方法在基体再结晶过程中引入了模板化的晶粒生长机制。该计划将在该计划期间展示具有类似单晶特性的高度颗粒取向的压电陶瓷。这一技术开发的成功将极大地加快新一代压电器件从实验室原型向市场实际部署的过渡。该项目的商业应用是在压电器件中。这项技术使新的压电器件成为可能，其性能的改善超出了当前的技术。这些材料的预期目标包括医用超声诊断和治疗、主动机床控制和暖通空调系统的振动抑制。美国国家科学基金会最近的一份报告估计，美国的压电陶瓷材料市场价值约为15亿美元。据估计，全球市场规模超过110亿美元。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project addresses a low cost technology for the mass production of high performance piezoelectric single crystals. The approach will potentially lead to a new generation of engineered piezocrystals exhibiting attributes of low cost, high quality and volume not previously attainable. The proposed technology uses a novel sintering process to overcome conventional limitations to the mechanical strength, size and homogeneity inherent in pure single crystal forms. The approach incorporates a templated grain growth mechanism within the matrix recrystallization process. The plan is to demonstrate highly grain-oriented piezocrystal ceramics with single-crystal-like properties during this program. The success of this technological development will dramatically expedite the transition of new generation piezoelectric devices from laboratory prototypes to their practical deployment in the market.The commercial application of this project is in piezoelectric devices. The technology makes possible new piezoelectric devices with improved performance that is beyond current technology. The anticipated targets for these materials include medical ultrasonic diagnostics and therapeutics, active machine tool control, and vibration suppression in HVAC systems. A recent report by the National Science Foundation estimates the U.S. market piezoelectric ceramic materials at ca. $1.5B. The global market is estimated at over $11B.