Observation of Failure and Domain Switching in Lead Zirconate Titanate Ceramics

Abstract

The mechanical and electrical properties (electromechanical coupling coefficient, piezoelectric constant and dielectric constant) of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) ceramics are investigated during mechanical static and cyclic loading. There are several failure characteristics which can alter the material properties of PZT ceramics. The elastic constant increases and electrical properties decrease with increasing the applied load. This is due to the internal strain arising from the domain switching. In this case, 90° domain switching occurs anywhere in the samples as the sample is loaded. It is also apparent that electrogenesis occurs several times during cyclic loading to the final fracture. This occurrence is related to the domain switching. The elastic constant and electrical properties can decrease because of crack generation in the PZT ceramics. Moreover, the elastic constant increases with increase of the mechanical load and decreases with decrease of the load. On the contrary, the opposite sense of change of the electrical properties is observed.

Microscopic texture characterisation in piezoceramics

“…59 In their work, Farooq et al determined the extent of misalignment at DWs by EBSD, and were able to estimate peak stresses up to 560 MPa at domain junctions. In a later work, Burnett et al 65 imaged domains in PZT by EBSD and compared the results with PFM, giving excellent agreement. Very interesting are the studies by Okayasu et al, [66][67][68] in which EBSD analysis is performed in situ during the application of electric field and/or mechanical stress.…”