Effects of an electric field on the fracture toughness of poled lead zirconate titanate ceramics

Abstract

Compact tension tests and indentation-fracture tests have been conducted to study the effects of an applied electric field on the fracture toughness (KIC) of poled commercial lead zirconate titanate (PZT) ceramics. The experimental results show that an applied electric field, either parallel or antiparallel to the poling direction, considerably reduces the KIC value of the PZT ceramics. The reduction in KIC for a negative field is larger than that for a positive field of the same strength. The failure mode in the PZT ceramics is basically transgranular, insensitive to the applied electric field.