Crystal growth, pyroelectric, piezoelectric, and elastic properties of monoclinic bis (nitrilotriacetato) zirconates X[C(NH2)(3)] Zr(N(CH2COO)(3))(2)center dot y H2O (y=2 for X = Rb, Tl, NH4; y=1 for X = Cs; y=1.5 for X = CH3NH3)

Large single crystals of optical quality and with dimensions up to 50 mm of double salts of the type X[c(NH2)(3)] Zr(N(CH2COO)(3))(2) . yH(2)O (X = Rb , Tl, NH4, Cs, CH3NH3) have been grown from aqueous solutions. They crystal lize in the space group P2(i) and exhibit quasi-isotypic structures. Comple te elastic and thermoelastic tensors have been derived from ultrasonic reso nances of plane-parallel plates. In addition, thermal expansion, pyroelectr ic, dielectric and piezoelectric properties have been measured. The maximum longitudinal piezoelectric effects d(222) exceed d(111) of alpha -quartz r oughly by a factor of 7. The pyroelectric constants pi (2) surmount pi (3) of tourmaline by about a factor of 9. The structural and physical propertie s are closely related to those of the constituent salts.