Mn and Sm doped lead titanate ceramic fibers and fiber/epoxy 13 composites

Abstract

Managanese and samarium doped lead titanate [Pb0.85Sm0.10 (Ti0.98Mn0.02)O3, PSmT] fibers were prepared by sol-gel method. The micrographs obtained using scanning electron microscope show that PSmT ceramic fibers are round and dense. The diameter of the fibers was in the range of 30–35 μm. The crystalline grains size is ∼2.5 μm. The micrographs obtained using transmission electron microscope also unveiled the layer-by-layer 90° domains in the grains. X-ray diffraction patterns of the fibers show that PSmT ceramics have a pure perovskite structure. The c/a ratio of the unit cell was 1.04. The PSmT fiber/epoxy 1-3 composites were fabricated by filling the ceramic fiber bundle with epoxy. The dielectric permittivity ε, electromechanical coefficient kt, and the piezoelectric constant d33 of PSmT fiber/epoxy 1-3 composites with 68% fiber loading were 118, 0.51, and 48 pC/N, respectively. The hysteresis loop of the composites was measured by the Sawyer–Tower method. It was also found that the composites could withstand an electric field of 15 kV/mm at room temperature.