Appl Phys A (2011) 104:661–666 DOI 10.1007/s00339-011-6307-2 Dielectric, ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties of 0-3 barium titanate–Portland cement composites R. Rianyoi · R. Potong · N. Jaitanong · R. Yimnirun · A. Chaipanich Received: 9 July 2010 / Accepted: 14 January 2011 / Published online: 5 February 2011 © Springer-Verlag 2011 Abstract In this work, barium titanate (BT) and cement composites of 0-3 connectivity were produced with BT con- centrations of 30%, 50% and 70% by volume using the mix- ing and pressing method. The dielectric constant (ε r ) and the dielectric loss (tan δ) at room temperature and at various frequencies (0.1–20 kHz) of the ferroelectric BT-Portland cement composites with different BT concentrations were investigated. The results show that the dielectric constant of BT-PC composites was found to increase as BT con- centration increases, and that the highest value for ε r —of 436—was obtained for a BT concentration of 70%. In addi- tion, the dielectric loss tangent decreased with increasing BT concentration. Moreover, several mathematical models were used; the experimental values of the dielectric constants are closest to those calculated from the cube model. The 0-3 cement-based piezoelectric composites show typical ferro- electric hysteresis loops at room temperature. The instanta- neous remnant polarization (P ir ), at an applied external elec- trical field (E 0 ) of 20 kV/cm (90 Hz) of 70% barium titanate composite, was found to have a value ≈3.42 μC/cm 2 . Fur- thermore, the piezoelectric coefficient (d 33 ) was also found to increase as BT concentration increases, as expected. The highest value for d 33 was 16 pC/N for 70% BT compos- ite. R. Rianyoi · R. Potong · N. Jaitanong · A. Chaipanich ( ) Department of Physics and Materials Science, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand e-mail: arnonchaipanich@gmail.com Fax: +66-53-943445 R. Yimnirun School of Physics, Institute of Science, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand 1 Introduction In civil engineering, the cement-based material, concrete, is the most commonly used structural material. For many im- portant engineering structures and infrastructure—such as high-rise buildings, large-span bridges, nuclear waste con- tainment structures, etc.—severe vibration and significant internal damage may be caused by dynamic loading from different sources, such as strong winds or earthquakes [1]. This can pose a great threat to the safety of the structures. Therefore, structural health monitoring and active vibration control of structures have attracted much attention among civil engineers [2, 3]. Sensors and actuators are essential components for sens- ing and controlling. Among the techniques used in sensors and actuators, piezoelectricity has proved to be one of the most efficient mechanisms for application in smart struc- tures [4–6]. Piezoelectric ceramics exhibit high dielectric constant and piezoelectric strain coefficient, and they can be used in a number of applications such as capacitors, trans- ducers, sensors and actuators [7–9]. One of the most well- known and widely used piezoelectric ceramics is lead zir- conate titanate (PZT). However, its relatively heavy den- sity, high acoustic impedance, brittleness, and inconvenient machinability may render it undesirable for civil engineer- ing purposes, due to the distinct differences in the properties between the smart materials and the concrete [10–12]. For example, single-phase piezoelectric ceramics exhibits high acoustic impedance (30 MRayl) compared to that of con- crete (9 MRayl) [1]. To meet civil engineering structural requirements, lead-based electroceramic materials such as PZT have been used with cement in order to produce com- posites that can match the acoustic impedance of concrete structures [13–24]. However, lead-based electroceramic ma- terials are highly toxic due to their lead oxide content, and