Final Report Summary - ULTIMATE CERAMICS (Printed Electroceramics with Ultimate Compositions)
Electroceramics have a multibillion market with applications in the field of high frequency telecommunication, electronics, and different kinds of sensors, actuators and energy harvesters. The devices made of electroceramics can be found everywhere like in mobile phones, cars, cameras, computers, telescopes, lightning, toys, medical and space devices etc. However, the fabrication temperature of electroceramic devices is commonly well over 1 000 oC, one small exception being the Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramics with sintering temperature of 850-900 oC. In this project we have been able to develop new electroceramic composites which fabrication temperature is in the range of 450 - 20 oC (room temperature). These temperatures enable also devices with different materials (other ceramics, polymers, metals) integrated into a same device in one production step reliably, with very low energy consumption and low cost investments, utilizing also environmentally friendly materials. In addition these materials can be 2D and 3D printed needing no extra heating (e.g. by laser) arrangements. These ground breaking achievements open up new business opportunities to large and small scale industry. In many cases these electroceramic devices can be also fabricated by all of us – you and me.