HPZ Key Features
There are many key attributes to Ionix HPZ ceramic. These features are what make HPZ so unique and something that can easily enhance your piezoceramic products. Below are all the key features that we think make Ionix HPZ a ceramic that can optimise your applications.
High Sensitivity and High Temperature
One of the main features that a lot of companies look for is how sensitive the ceramic is, especially when heated. Piezoelectric materials are of significant interest for use in precision and ultrasonic applications due to the high resolution, quick response times, large force generation and low power requirements. The HPZ ceramic can provide a high temperature withstand without losing its sensitivity.
High temperature piezoelectric materials, with a Curie temperature (Tc) > 500 °C, generally deliver low piezoelectric activity and low mechanical strength. These materials are generally considered to be unsuitable for some applications, such as actuators. Ionix HPZ ceramic demonstrates both a Curie temperature close to that of bismuth titanate and a higher piezoelectric activity than lead metaniobate.
Plug and Play Compatibility
Our plug and play feature can be a key element to any customer who is looking to enhance their devices with Ionix HPZ and who currently uses a PZT ceramic. HPZ has a comparable density and speed of sound to PZT and therefore ceramics / crystals / elements have a similar size and shape. This means that often there is no need for a radical redesign, minimizing development time, allow customers to access new markets swiftly.
Toughness
When selecting a piezoceramic for integration into your devices, toughness and machineability can be of high importance. Many devices require the piezoceramic to be able to withstand high pre-loads or the ceramic may be exposed to high forces during operation.
High Coercive Field
A high coercive field means that a relatively high electric field is required to polarise the ceramic. A high coercive field allows Ionix HPZ to withstand high stresses and high temperatures. It can also withstand high field applications, and is resistance to reverse biasing, that is, applying a strong electric field at 90 or 180 ° to the original poling direction.
High Temperature Shear
Ionix high temperature shear plates made from HPZ580 material can enable the creation of devices that can serve a range of demanding environment applications. These shear parts operate beyond the capability other commercially available materials, with both a high piezoelectric activity and high operating temperature.
Positive Thermal Expansion
One thing many people don’t know is that when you pole a traditional piezoelectric material like PZT it gets thicker. Therefore, when you heat that material up towards its Curie temperature, it gets thinner. This provides a negative thermal expansion coefficient which can make it difficult to use the piezoelectric material in a range of applications, where a large thermal expansion miss-match which can either lead to damage to the piezo, debonding or it can lead instabilities in a device. Ionix HPZ is unique because it has a positive thermal expansion coefficient which makes it easier for our customers to use piezoelectric materials inside their sensors and actuators.
Low Pyroelectric Effect
The pyroelectric effect happens when there is a change in the temperature within the piezoceramic crystal. A change in temperature can generate an electrical charge. Ionix HPZ has a high operating temperature and is therefore far less susceptible to the pyroelectric effect, defined as dP/dT, the change in polarisation with temperature. No spark is generated from HPZ when following the same heating and cooling profile as PZT. This makes it ideal for deployment in hazardous environments where there are changes in temperature which could lead to a spark.
If you would like to know more about our features or want to speak to someone from the Ionix team about upgrading and enhancing your piezoceramics, get in touch today: