Relation between dielectric and mechanical nonlinear behaviours in PZT piezoelectric ceramics

Abstract

Elastic and dielectric coefficients of PZT piezoceramics are perturbed by applying high electric field or high mechanical stress. In this work, a procedure is described in order to compare non-linear dielectric and elastic behaviour, by using suitable quantities. Qualitative differences are observed between soft and hard materials. But, for a given material, dielectric and mechanic behaviours are very similar, as well as the losses of both kinds. This fact can be understood by assuming that non-linearity is produced by interaction between domain walls and defects, and that 180° walls are negligible in front of non-180 walls. Some facts must be taken into account in order to compare both behaviours, as the non-linear model, the domain wall orientation distribution, or the non uniformity of the fields. This allows to relate the non linear behaviour with the distribution function, that defines the material state, or to understand the non-linearity produced at the overtones.