Domain fragmentation during cyclic fatigue in 94%Bi(1/2)Na(1/2)TiO3-6%BaTiO3.

Abstract

The fatigue of the lead-free piezoceramic 94%(Bi1/2Na1/2)TiO3-6%BaTiO3 was investigated under bipolar electric fields. Degradation of the polarization, strain, and permittivity was measured during the fatigue process, and correlated with structural data measured at incremental points in the fatigue process using neutron diffraction. The results suggest a two-stage fatigue mechanism whereby, following a field-induced phase transformation to a poled ferroelectric state, the domain structure becomes progressively fragmented by a repetitive process of domain wall pinning and subdivision. © 2012, American Institute of Physics.