What is a high coercive field? 

Simply put, a high coercive field means that a relatively high electric field is required to polarise the ceramic and give it piezoelectric properties. Conversely, it means that once polarised, the piezo is hard to depolarise. 

What is the process of making a ceramic have a high coercive field? 

Once the ceramic disc has been formed it has electrodes added. It then needs to be poled so the electric dipoles can be aligned. This is done by adding a high voltage /field across the ceramic. With Ionix HPZ piezoceramics, we can add a higher voltage within this process without the ceramic breaking. 

What applications need a high coercive field? 

It is the ideal material for extremely thin parts or those with high drive fields as the piezoceramic will not de-pole. A high coercive field can also be linked to high temperature performance as it resists de-poling of the material. This can be particularly important for shear poled materials.  

Why would a piezoceramic de-pole? 

A combination of time, temperature, stress, reverse bias (the voltage in the wrong direction) or damage can all lead to a piezoceramic material to de-pole. The main factor would be the application driving the disc too hard leading to a permanent deterioration of a piezoceramic which is something many companies face and can lead to reduced performance of sensors and devices. 

Why does a high coercive field make HPZ material unique? 

It is an important key property to our piezoceramics. With a high coercive field, Ionix HPZ has the ability to withstand stress and high temperatures. It can also withstand high field applications. 

For more information on our HPZ piezoceramic properties, check out our ceramics guide. 

Get in touch with one of our team members to discuss your piezoceramic needs.