MORGAN LEADS THE WAY IN PRODUCTION OF LARGE DIMENSION (NAVY I) PZT BLOCKS
16/06/2015 Morgan Advanced Materials plc
In a major breakthrough for the technical ceramics sector, Morgan Advanced Materials is manufacturing what are believed to be the world's thickest piezoelectric ceramic blocks.The blocks, designed for use in ultra-low frequency SONAR applications down to 18KHz, are made of high-quality, hard (Navy I) lead zirconate titanate (PZT) - Morgan's own proprietary formulation, known as PZT401. They offer superb electrical characteristics, are of high sintered density and are suitable for the manufacture of wide bandwidth 1-3 composite transducers for deep sea applications.
However, the most striking feature of the new PZT ceramic blocks is their size, and in particular their thickness, reaching a current maximum of 42mm. Various combinations of length and width are available on request. The ability to manufacture and polarise such large thicknesses of piezoelectric materials sets Morgan apart from its competitors and represents a step change in the industry.
"Our philosophy is to push the boundaries in the manufacture of large piezoelectric components and to support the next generation of ultra-low frequency, high resolution SONAR equipment for deep sea applications. I do not know of any other company that is producing piezoelectric components to such demanding thickness specifications," commented Frédéric Pimparel, Technical Applications Manager at Morgan Advanced Materials.
Large dimension PZT blocks are suited to a range of high-integrity applications, such as side scan SONAR, sub bottom profilers and transducers for surveying systems. The 'hard' PZT from which they are made provides excellent sensitivity and permittivity, making it ideal for use in sensing applications requiring a wide bandwidth. Thanks to the cutting-edge pressing and firing techniques employed during manufacture, Morgan's large PZT blocks boast a uniform consistency of electro-mechanical properties throughout each component, and can be ground and lapped to precise limits. They are available in block form or as diced and filled with specially formulated epoxies for use in 1-3 composites, with a range of metallisation treatments also available. This is in addition to Morgan's existing manufacturing capability for large 'soft' PZT blocks.
For more information, please visit: www.morganadvancedmaterials.com/products/engineered-ceramics.
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