Ink-jet Printing of Wax-based PZT Suspensions

摘要

Ink-jet printing is a mature technology with many applications. A potential application lies in the fabrication of small piezoelectric actuators from PZT. It is also an attractive method of fabricating ceramic components. A stable suspension of fine PZT powder in a paraffin wax has been successfully prepared with stearylamine and a commercial polyester as the dispersant system. Suspensions with powder volume loadings up to 30% have been successfully passed through the ink-jet printing head. Printing trials have been carried out and the influence of actuator excitation voltage, excitation pulse duration and pulse repetition time on the velocity of the drops, are discussed.