Strong piezoelectricity and multiferroicity in BiFeO3–BaTiO3–NdCoO3 lead-free piezoelectric ceramics with high Curie temperature for current sensing application

Lead-free piezoelectric and multiferroic ceramics of BiFeO3-BaTiO3-NdCoO3 were synthesized by a conventional solid-state reaction method and the structural, piezoelectric, multiferroic and magnetoelectric properties of the materials were investigated. All the ceramics can be well sintered at a low sintering temperature of 980 A degrees C for 2 h. The introduction of NdCoO3 into BiFeO3-BaTiO3 induces a dramatic enhancement in the piezoelectricity, multiferroicity and magnetoelectric effect of the materials. After the addition of 1.0-3.0 mol% NdCoO3, the ceramics possess a morphotropic phase boundary of rhombohedral and orthorhombic phases and exhibit high Curie temperature (similar to 486-605 A degrees C), strong piezoelectricity, good ferroelectricity and excellent temperature stability of piezoelectricity. The greatly enhanced magnetism with M (r) = 0.4229 emu/g and M (s) = 2.7186 emu/g is obtained in the ceramic with 8.0 mol% NdCoO3, almost six times larger than that of an undoped ceramic. The ceramic with 2.0 mol% NdCoO3 shows a strong magnetoelectric effect (alpha (33) = 750 mV cm(-1) Oe(-1)). The practical application potential of the present materials has also been preliminarily demonstrated by mimicking current monitoring. Our results suggest that the present ceramics may have potential applications in advanced lead-free piezoelectric and/or multiferroic devices.Department of Electrical Engineering2016-2017 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalbcr

Antioxidants in Diets and Food

none3noNowadays, the society looks with increasing interest in the diet, which is no longer simply a means by which to take the necessary nutrients but has become a means by which it is possible to preserve the health state. German philosopher Ludwig Feuerbach once said: “We are what we eat.” This statement is even truer today because of the hectic life, people often tend to eat frugal, fast, and often very fat and unhealthy meals. Today, there is a very high attention both from the social point of view and by the scientific community to the so-called functional foods. These foods, which contain several bioactive compounds, exert innumerable biological properties and therefore can help to preserve the health state. In addition, the use of nutraceuticals has taken the upper hand, unfortunately, often also to the detriment of functional foods, which unlike the former still remain foods and, as such, with a certainly better efficacy-safety profile. The term nutraceutical, indeed, does not refer to a food but rather to a formulation containing one or more compounds isolated from plant extracts or one or more titrated plant extracts. Moreover, some formulations (capsules, tablets, powders, etc.) are rarely studied before being commercialized, and their effectiveness remains rather doubtful in light of a very lax regulation in many countries worldwide.mixedAntonella Smeriglio, Laura Cornara, Domenico TrombettaSmeriglio, Antonella; Cornara, Laura; Trombetta, Domenic