Cyclic Fatigue Crack Growth in Three-Point Bending PZT Ceramics under Electromechanical Loading

• Published in: Journal of the American Ceramic Society Vol. 90; no. 8; pp. 2517 - 2524
• Main Authors: Narita, Fumio, Shindo, Yasuhide, Saito, Fumitoshi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden, USA Blackwell Publishing Inc 01.08.2007; Blackwell; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Bending fatigue; Building materials. Ceramics. Glasses; Ceramic industries; Ceramics; Chemical industry and chemicals; Crack propagation; Cracks; Electric properties; Electrotechnical and electronic ceramics; Exact sciences and technology; Fatigue failure; Fracture mechanics; Lead zirconate titanates; Materials fatigue; Materials science; Mathematical analysis; Scanning electron microscopy; Technical ceramics; Scanning electron microscopy; Lead titanates; Mechanical properties; Fatigue; PZT; Experimental study; Oxide ceramics; Piezoelectric ceramics; Lead zirconates; Finite element method; Cyclic load; Models; Lead Titanates Zirconates; Electroceramics; Crack
• ISSN: 0002-7820; 1551-2916
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1551-2916.2007.01774.x

This paper investigates experimentally and analytically the cyclic fatigue crack growth in piezoelectric ceramics under electromechanical loading. Cyclic crack growth tests were conducted on lead zirconate titanate (PZT) ceramics subjected to dc electric fields, and a finite element analysis was used to calculate the maximum energy release rate for the permeable crack model. Based on bending experiments using single‐edge precracked‐beam specimens, cyclic fatigue crack growth rates are found to be sensitive to the maximum energy release rate and applied dc electric fields. Possible mechanisms for crack growth were discussed by scanning electron microscope examination of the fracture surface of the PZT ceramics.