A comprehensive review on the latest development of the antiferroelectric ferroelectric phase transition is presented. The abrupt volume expansion and sudden development of polarization at the phase transition has been extensively investigated in PbZrO 3 -based perovskite ceramics. New research developments in these compositions, including the incommensurate domain structure, the auxetic behavior under electric fields in the induced ferroelectric phase, the ferroelastic behavior of the multicell cubic phase, the impact of radial compression, the unexpected electric field-induced ferroelectric-to-antiferroelectric transition, and the phase transition mechanical toughening effect have been summarized. Due to their significance to lead-free piezoelectric ceramics, compounds with antiferroelectric phases, including NaNbO 3 , AgNbO 3 , and (Bi 1/ 2 Na 1/2 )TiO 3 , are also critically reviewed. Focus has been placed on the (Bi 1/2 Na 1/2 )TiO 3 -BaTiO 3 solid solution where the electric field-induced ferroelectric phase remains even after the applied field is removed at room temperature. Therefore, the electric field-induced antiferroelectric-to-ferroelectric phase transition is a key to the poling process to develop piezoelectricity in morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) compositions. The competing phase transition and domain switching processes in 0.93(Bi 1/2 Na 1/2 )TiO 3 -0.07BaTiO 3 are directly imaged with nanometer resolution using the unique in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) technique. KeywordsAntiferroelectric ceramics, phase transition, domain structure, polarization and strain, ferroelastic deformation, lead-free piezoelectrics, in situ TEM Disciplines Ceramic Materials | Electromagnetics and Photonics | Metallurgy CommentsThis is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Journal of the American Ceramic Society 94, 4091-4107 (2011 AbstractA comprehensive review of the latest development on the antiferroelectric  ferroelectric phase transition is presented. The abrupt volume expansion and sudden development of polarization at the phase transition has been extensively investigated in PbZrO3-based perovskite ceramics. New research developments in these compositions, including the incommensurate domain structure, the auxetic behavior under electric fields in the induced ferroelectric phase, the ferroelastic behavior of the multicell cubic phase, the impact of radial compression, the unexpected electric field-induced ferroelectric-to-antiferroelectric transition, and the phase transition mechanical toughening effect have been summarized. Due to their significance to lead-free piezoelectric ceramics, compounds with antiferroelectric phases, including NaNbO3, AgNbO3, and (Bi1/2Na1/2)TiO3, are also critically reviewed. Focus has been placed on the (Bi1/2Na1/2)TiO3-BaTiO3 solid solution where the electric field-induced ferroelectric phase remains even after the applied field is removed at room temperature.Therefore, the electric field-induced antiferroelectric-to-ferroelectric phase tr...

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Electric-field-induced antiferroelectric to ferroelectric phase transition in mechanically confined Pb0.99Nb0.02[(Zr0.57Sn0.43)0.94Ti0.06]0.98O3 AbstractThe electric-field-induced phase transition was investigated under mechanical confinements in bulk samples of an antiferroelectric perovskite oxide at room temperature. Profound impacts of mechanical confinements on the phase transition are observed due to the interplay of ferroelasticity and the volume expansion at the transition. The uniaxial compressive prestress delays while the radial compressive prestress suppresses it. The difference is rationalized with a phenomenological model of the phase transition accounting for the mechanical confinement. Keywords Aerospace Engineering Disciplines Ceramic Materials | Materials Science and Engineering | Structures and Materials CommentsThis article is from Physical Review B 81 (2010) The electric-field-induced phase transition was investigated under mechanical confinements in bulk samples of an antiferroelectric perovskite oxide at room temperature. Profound impacts of mechanical confinements on the phase transition are observed due to the interplay of ferroelasticity and the volume expansion at the transition. The uniaxial compressive prestress delays while the radial compressive prestress suppresses it. The difference is rationalized with a phenomenological model of the phase transition accounting for the mechanical confinement.

The electric field‐induced antiferroelectric‐to‐ferroelectric phase transition is investigated through detailed measurements of electric polarization P, longitudinal strain x33, and transverse strain x11 developed under applied electric fields in a series of Pb0.99Nb0.02[(Zr0.57Sn0.43)1−yTiy]0.98O3 ceramics with compositions close to the antiferroelectric/ferroelectric phase boundary. It is found that the volume expansion, expressed as (x33+2x11), at the antiferroelectric‐to‐ferroelectric phase transition remains ∼0.4% regardless of the composition in the range of 0.060≤y≤0.075. However, the induced ferroelectric phase in compositions y≥0.069 becomes metastable and the ferroelectric‐to‐antiferroelectric phase transition does not occur during the unloading of the applied field. This reverse phase transition occurs partially when electric fields with reversed polarity are applied. As a consequence, the switchable mechanical strains in compositions y≥0.069 are significantly reduced as y (Ti content) increases even though the switchable polarization remains at a high value.

The longitudinal and transverse strains were measured as a function of applied electric fields in a bulk ceramic sample of Pb0.99Nb0.02[(Zr0.57Sn0.43)0.94Ti0.06]0.98O3 at room temperature. Instead of a transverse contraction, a transverse expansion was observed in the electric-field-induced ferroelectric phase after the antiferroelectric-to-ferroelectric phase transition. Therefore, an auxetic behavior was established in monolithic ferroelectric polycrystalline ceramics under electrical loads. The behavior is characterized by a negative strain ratio that is analogous to the Poisson’s ratio. The transverse expansion leads to a large hydrostatic piezoelectric coefficient dh, which suggests new applications of antiferroelectric ceramics in piezoelectric devices.