Development of lead-free piezo materials

Offentlig prosjektsammendrag

The project aim to develop more environmental friendly piezo electric materials. Today the most common piezo electric material is lead zirconate titanate (PZT), representing an annual lead consumption of about 600 tons. In 2003, the European Union adopted the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive 2002/95/EC, (RoHS 1), restraining the use of six hazardous materials in the manufacture of various types of electronic and electrical equipment, hence limiting the maximum lead concentration in products at 0.1% by weight. Due to the societal importance of piezoelectric devices, the industry has so far been granted a time-limited exemption from this ban. Because the PZTs market is expected to reach nearly $40 billion in 2017, large market shares are to be conquered for lead-free piezo-electric devices. In particular, the current world market for piezoelectric actuators, the most promising application to replace PZT by lead-free materials, takes around 33 % of the market share by itself. Lead free piezo materials are not commercially available today and Cerpotech aim to develop and commercialize lead free piezo electric materials for several applications and markets.