BaTiO3-Based Ceramics: Fundamentals, Properties and Applications

Barium titanate, BaTiO3, has been the first commercial ferroelectric and piezoelectric material. After more than 70 years from its discovery, it is still the most widely used functional ceramic in the electronic industry, mainly as a dielectric in multilayer ceramic capacitors. The commercial success of barium titanate has been largely determined by the ease its properties can be adapted to the specific application. After discussing the crystal structure, the defect chemistry and the phase transitions of BaTiO3, the strategies to modify the dielectric and piezoelectric properties by means of chemical modification and microstructure control are systematically reviewed. Existing as well as potential applications are presented.