Multi-field coupling mechanical failure of Pb(Zr0.95Ti0.05)O3 ferroelectric ceramics under shock compression

PZT 95/5 ferroelectric ceramics have been used in shock-driven pulsed-power supplies for many years; their mechanical failure under shock compression plays an important role in their applications. Multi-field coupling shock experiments have been conducted to understand such failure by measuring the interface particle velocity of the quartz buffer/window interface, and the wave evolution was analyzed with or without the existence of failure zone inner PZT 95/5. Results confirm that the delay time of the failure wave decreased with increasing the electric field, and when the electric field reaches the dielectric strength, the electrical breakdown happens, which makes the threshold stress of mechanical failure shift to the low stress (2.0 GPa) and the delay time of the failure wave decreases dramatically at high stress. The phenomena that the delay time decreases with increasing shock stress are also observed. At the same time, ferroelectric → antiferroelectric phase transformation makes it so that the delay time of the poled state is longer than that of the unpoled state, so it has the effect of phase transformation toughening.