Ferroelectric ceramic materials of the Aurivillius family

Abstract

Ferroelectric ceramics are important materials with a wide range of industrial and commercial applications. Since the discovery of the phenomenon of ferroelectricity, they have been the heart and soul of several multibillion dollar industries, ranging from high-dielectric-permittivity capacitors to developments in piezoelectric transducers, pyroelectric sensors, medical diagnostic transducers, electro-optical devices, etc. Materials based on barium titanate and lead zirconate titanate have dominated the field throughout their history. Actually, the ferroelectric ceramics from the Aurivillius family receive great attention due to their large remanent polarization, lead-free nature, relatively low processing temperatures, high Curie temperatures and excellent piezoelectric properties, which made them good candidates for multiple applications. This review presents a general overview of the progress in the studies on the ferroelectric ceramics from the Aurivillius family. The progress includes several aspects: (i) structural studies, (ii) dielectric and electric behavior, (iii) piezoelectricity, and (iv) pyroelectricity.