Single crystal processes, categories

Ferroelectrics are the prime material for piezoelectric applications in ceramic form, due to the discovery of the electrical poling process that aligns the internal polarization of the crystallites within the ceramic, and causes the ceramic to act in similar fashion to a piezoelectric single crystal. Three categories of applications have... 

GPa for single crystal alumina fibers. The overall trend reflects the weight percent increase in alumina. Differences in each category reflect super-imposed effects of other oxides (not shown) or process-induced differences. 

The mechanisms of CD processes can be divided into two different processes formation of the required compound by ionic reactions involving free anions, and decomposition of metal complexes. These two categories can be further divided in two formation of isolated single molecules that cluster and eventually form a crystal or particle, and mediation of a solid phase, usually the metal hydroxide. We consider first the pathways involving free anions and defer to later those where a metal complex decomposes. 

---