Ferroelectric element and rpocess for producing the same

A process for producing a ferroelectric element comprising a ferroelectric material containing at least two metals, said process comprising the steps of mixing aqueous solutions of respective salts of the metals together to prepare an aqueous ferroelectric precursor solution;

• adding a thickener and/or an association preventive to the aqueous ferroelectric precursor solution and coating the resultant solution onto a substrate;
• and
• drying and firing the coating to crystallize the ferroelectric material.

A ferroelectric precursor for use as a starting material in the production of a ferroelectric material comprising at least two metals by a process including a sol-gel process, said ferroelectric precursor comprising aqueous solutions of respective salts of the metals and containing a thickener and/or an association preventive.

An ink jet head comprising a plurality of nozzles for ejecting an ink, ink chambers, for passage and pressurization of the ink, communicating with the nozzles, and pressing means for creating a change in volume of the ink in the ink chamber to eject the ink through the nozzles,

• the pressing means comprising a ferroelectric element as a piezoelectric element, said ferroelectric element comprising a ferroelectric material containing at least two metals and having been produced by a process including a sol-gel process in the presence of a thickener and/or an association preventive from a aqueous solutions of respective salts of the metals.