Combined electrical and mechanical fatigue of piezoelectric ceramics undergoing polarization switching for large displacement actuation

Donny P. Wang; Gregory Paul Carman

doi:10.1117/12.316894

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27 July 1998 Combined electrical and mechanical fatigue of piezoelectric ceramics undergoing polarization switching for large displacement actuation

Donny P. Wang, Gregory Paul Carman

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Proceedings Volume 3329, Smart Structures and Materials 1998: Smart Structures and Integrated Systems; (1998) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.316894
Event: 5th Annual International Symposium on Smart Structures and Materials, 1998, San Diego, CA, United States

Abstract

This paper investigates the issue of inducing large displacements in piezoelectric ceramics for actuator applications through the management of domain walls. Domain wall management involves the control of domain wall evolution with external stresses or electric fields to obtain specific domain structures. Control of these domains is achieved through the use of interdigitated electrodes capable of producing an electric field in either the x or y direction or a combination of the two thereof. Strain up to 4000 (mu) (epsilon) can be obtained using this methodology. One of the major drawbacks of incorporating domain wall motion to obtain large displacements is material fatigue and degradation. Material degradation is shown to be the result of large mechanical stresses in the material that arises from dissimilar domains during polarization switching. This paper will investigate the combined influence of different electric field strengths, temperature, and mechanical loads on the fatigue of the piezoelectric ceramic, PbZr_0.53Ti_0.47O₃ (PZT-5H). Results show that the degree of degradation during polarization switching is dependent upon the magnitude and frequency of the applied electric field. However, cycling the material at high temperatures or under mechanical loads decrease the rate of fatigue degradation. Parametric studies show that higher temperatures and higher preloads will extend the fatigue life of piezoelectric ceramics to well over 10 million switching cycles.

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Donny P. Wang and Gregory Paul Carman "Combined electrical and mechanical fatigue of piezoelectric ceramics undergoing polarization switching for large displacement actuation", Proc. SPIE 3329, Smart Structures and Materials 1998: Smart Structures and Integrated Systems, (27 July 1998); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.316894

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