Crack propagation induced by incompatible domain switching in BaTiO3 crystal under electric field loading

Application of new materials, such as PMN-PT single crystals, requires a good understanding of basic material performance under both electrical and mechanical loading. Over the past 5 years the authors have used both computational and experimental techniques to examine the relationships between poling direction, crystal orientation, and electric field actuation. Experiments show mixed results indicating that the relationship between material orientation and loading is more complex than originally imagined. In some cases crack initiation and propagation perpendicular to the applied field was observed within a few thousand cycles but in other cases no failure was observed even after a few hundred thousand cycles despite crack growth in the presence of introduced defects. Computational effort quickly identified a gap between development of theoretical constitutive models that addressed domain switching based nonlinear behavior and what was available in workable form as part of commercial finite element codes. This led to the implementation of a macro-mechanical constitutive model which addresses domain switching, into a commercially available finite element code. The rate independent version has been used to investigate issues of electric field actuation and poling direction. Presented here are insights into the fracture and fatigue behavior of piezoelectric single crystals from both experimental and computational studies.

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In situ transmission electron microscopy observations of electric-field-induced domain switching and microcracking in ferroelectric ceramics

Materials Science and Engineering A ◽

10.1016/s0921-5093(00)01911-0 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 314 (1-2) ◽

pp. 157-161 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Xiaoli Tan ◽

Zhengkui Xu ◽

Jian Ku Shang

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscopy ◽

Transmission Electron Microscopy ◽

Electric Field ◽

Domain Switching ◽

Ferroelectric Ceramics ◽

Transmission Electron

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Investigations on Multi-axial Domain Switching Criteria for Piezoceramics

MRS Proceedings ◽

10.1557/proc-881-cc1.4 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 881 ◽

Author(s):

Bernd Laskewitz ◽

Dayu Zhou ◽

Marc Kamlah

Keyword(s):

Electric Field ◽

Electric Fields ◽

Domain Switching ◽

Axial Stress ◽

Initial Domain ◽

Hollow Cylinders ◽

Thin Walled ◽

Electromechanical Loading ◽

Stress States ◽

Strain Responses

AbstractInitially unpoled soft PZT was subjected to a proportional, coaxial electromechanical loading. The ratio of compressive stress to electric field was changed between the experiments. From this series of nonlinear polarization and strain responses were obtained. Based on an offset method, initial domain switching states in the two-dimensional stress-electric field space were determined. In continuum mechanics, thin walled tubes are used to investigate multi-axial stress states. In this context, thin walled means a ratio of wall thickness to radius of 1:10 or thinner. However, simple linear dielectric analysis indicates an inhomogeneous electric field distribution in such geometries.Therefore, the suitability of hollow cylinders (in the range from thick to thin walled tubes) for multi-axial electromechanical experiments has to be investigated. Simulations with a finite element tool based on a phenomenological constitutive model for ferroelectric and ferroelastic hysteresis behavior were performed. The results confirm inhomogeneous distributions of electric fields and stresses after poling. A geometry variation is discussed to minimize these effects.

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Time-Resolved, Electric-Field-Induced Domain Switching and Strain in Ferroelectric Ceramics and Crystals

Studying Kinetics with Neutrons - Springer Series in Solid-State Sciences ◽

10.1007/978-3-642-03309-4_6 ◽

2009 ◽

pp. 149-175 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Jacob L. Jones ◽

Juan C. Nino ◽

Abhijit Pramanick ◽

John E. Daniels

Keyword(s):

Electric Field ◽

Domain Switching ◽

Ferroelectric Ceramics ◽

Time Resolved

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Uniaxial Compressive Stress Dependence of the High-Field Dielectric and Piezoelectric Performance of Soft PZT Piezoceramics

Journal of Materials Research ◽

10.1557/jmr.2004.19.3.834 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 19 (3) ◽

pp. 834-842 ◽

Cited By ~ 58

Author(s):

Dayu Zhou ◽

Marc Kamlah ◽

Dietrich Munz

Keyword(s):

Electric Field ◽

Lead Zirconate Titanate ◽

Domain Switching ◽

Lead Zirconate ◽

Transverse Strain ◽

Dissipation Energy ◽

Depolarization Effect ◽

Uniaxial Compressive Stress ◽

Piezoelectric Performance ◽

Electromechanical Load

The influence of uniaxial prestress on dielectric and piezoelectric performance was studied for soft lead zirconate titanate piezoceramics. High electric field induced polarization and longitudinal/transverse strain were measured at different compression preload levels of up to −400 MPa. The parameters evaluated included polarization/strain outputs, dielectric permittivity, piezoelectric constants, and dissipation energy as a function of the mechanical preload and electric-field strength. The results indicate a significant enhancement of the dielectric and piezoelectric performance within a certain prestress loading range. At much higher stress levels, the predominant mechanical depolarization effect makes the material exhibit hardly any piezoeffect. However, the enhanced performance achieved by a small stress preload is accompanied by an unfavorable increased hysteresis, and consequently, increased energy loss, which is attributed to a larger extrinsic contribution due to more non-180° domain switching induced by the combined electromechanical load.

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