• Ceramist
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.89-100
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• 2020

Abnormally large electromechanical strain properties have been reported in bismuth-based piezoelectric ceramics, which cast a promise for replacing the market-dominating PZT-based piezoelectric ceramics in actuator applications. In spite of these large strains in bismuth-based piezoelectric ceramics, there still remains a critical issue for its safe transfer to practical applications, representatively, a relatively high operating field required to obtain the large strain properties. To overcome the challenge, much attention has been paid to so-called 0-3(or 3-0) type ceramic/ceramic composite approach to better tailoring the strain properties of bismuth-based piezoelectric ceramics. The approach turns out to be highly effective, leading to a drastic decrease in the operating electric field for these materials. Besides, both extensive and intensive search for the related mechanism revealed that the reduction in the operating electric field is largely due to the contribution from polarization coupling or strain coupling model between two different ceramics. This article reviews the status of the art in the development of novel ceramic/ceramic composites to make large incipient piezostrains in bismuth-based lead-free piezoelectric ceramics practical.