title: Self-Growth of Centimeter-Scale Single Crystals by Normal Sintering Process in Modified Potassium Sodium Niobate Ceramics.
abstract: In this manuscript, an interesting phenomenon is reported. That is the self-growth of single crystals in Pb-free piezoelectric ceramics. These crystals are several centimeters in size. They are grown without any seed addition through a normal sintering process in modified potassium sodium niobate ceramics. It has been achieved by the composition designed to compensate the Na(+) loss which occurs during the liquid phase sintering. The composition of the crystals is (K0.4925Na(0.4925-x)Ba(0.015+x/2))Nb(0.995+x)O3 [x is determined by the Na(+) loss, due to Na2O volatilization]. These crystals have high piezoelectric voltage coefficients (g33, 131 10(-3)Vm/N), indicating that they are good candidates for piezoelectric sensors and energy harvesting devices. We hope that this report can offer the opportunity for many researchers to have an interest in these crystals.
authors.affiliation: Functional Ceramics Department, Powder &Ceramics Division, Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS), Changwon, Gyeongnam 641-831, Korea.
authors.forename: Cheol-Woo
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Sunmoon University, Asan, Chungnam 330-708, Korea.
authors.forename: Ho-Yong
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798.
authors.forename: Guifang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Institute for Superconducting &Electronic Materials, Australian Institute of Innovative Materials, University of Wollongong, NSW 2500, Australia.
authors.forename: Shujun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Functional Ceramics Department, Powder &Ceramics Division, Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS), Changwon, Gyeongnam 641-831, Korea.
authors.forename: Si-Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Functional Ceramics Department, Powder &Ceramics Division, Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS), Changwon, Gyeongnam 641-831, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong-Jin
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Functional Ceramics Department, Powder &Ceramics Division, Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS), Changwon, Gyeongnam 641-831, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong-Woo
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Functional Ceramics Department, Powder &Ceramics Division, Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS), Changwon, Gyeongnam 641-831, Korea.
authors.forename: Woon-Ha
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Functional Ceramics Department, Powder &Ceramics Division, Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS), Changwon, Gyeongnam 641-831, Korea.
authors.forename: Joon-Hwan
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Functional Ceramics Department, Powder &Ceramics Division, Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS), Changwon, Gyeongnam 641-831, Korea.
authors.forename: Dong-Soo
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Functional Ceramics Department, Powder &Ceramics Division, Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS), Changwon, Gyeongnam 641-831, Korea.
authors.forename: Byung-Dong
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Hahn
authors.affiliation: Functional Ceramics Department, Powder &Ceramics Division, Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS), Changwon, Gyeongnam 641-831, Korea.
authors.forename: Jungho
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ryu