The ceramic produced in Prof. Igor Lubomirsky's lab at the Weizmann Institute of Science seemed too good to be true. It belongs to a class of materials that are the backbone of many essential technologies but that unfortunately also create an environmental problem because they usually contain lead, which is highly toxic. The surprising thing about the Weizmann ceramic was that it could perform just as well as other materials in this category while being entirely nontoxic.
Previous attempts by scientists around the world to produce lead-free electrostrictive or piezoelectric materials have been only marginally successful: Some are too chemically reactive, others too difficult to make. In contrast, the Weizmann substance – cerium oxide laced with about ten percent zirconium oxide – is inert and simple to manufacture. But perhaps its major potential advantage is that compared to materials currently in use, it requires less energy to do the same work. Moreover, the new ceramic’s source materials are cheap and readily available.
