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Title: Domain wall motion and electromechanical strain in lead-free piezoelectrics: Insight from the model system (1 - x)Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3-x(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3 using in situ high-energy X-ray diffraction during application of electric fields

Journal Article · · J. Appl. Phys.
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4870934· OSTI ID:1128585

The piezoelectric compositions (1 - x)Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3–x(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3 (BZT-xBCT) span a model lead-free morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) between room temperature rhombohedral and tetragonal phases at approximately x = 0.5. In the present work, in situ X-ray diffraction measurements during electric field application are used to elucidate the origin of electromechanical strain in several compositions spanning the tetragonal compositional range 0.6 ≤ x ≤ 0.9. As BCT concentration decreases towards the MPB, the tetragonal distortion (given by c/a-1) decreases concomitantly with an increase in 90° domain wall motion. The increase in observed macroscopic strain is predominantly attributed to the increased contribution from 90° domain wall motion. The results demonstrate that domain wall motion is a significant factor in achieving high strain and piezoelectric coefficients in lead-free polycrystalline piezoelectrics.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Advanced Photon Source (APS)
Sponsoring Organization:
NSFU.S. ARMY RESEARCH
OSTI ID:
1128585
Journal Information:
J. Appl. Phys., Vol. 115, Issue (14) ; 04, 2014
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
ENGLISH