Ferroelastic domain switching in lead zirconate titanate measured by in situ neutron diffraction

Abstract

Ferroelastic domain switching in a soft lead zirconate titanate (PZT) ceramic is measured by neutron diffraction on the texture diffractometer HIPPO with mechanical compression applied in situ. Complete orientation distribution functions are measured by time-of-flight neutron diffraction and represented as pole figures and inverse pole figures at compressive stresses in 50 MPa increments up to a maximum of 200 MPa. Significant domain switching hysteresis was observed in parallel to the macroscopic strain hysteresis. The contribution of ferroelastic domain switching to the measured macroscopic strain is calculated directly from the 0 0 l pole figure. Subtraction of this contribution from the measured macroscopic strain yields the bulk-averaged lattice strain. After unloading, the macroscopic strain of 0.30% consists of 0.22% ferroelastic domain switching and 0.08% crystallographic lattice strain.