Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 1 of 1
Full-Text Articles in Engineering
Thermotropic Phase Boundaries In Classic Ferroelectrics, Tom T. A. Lummen, Yijia Gu, Jianjun Wang
Thermotropic Phase Boundaries In Classic Ferroelectrics, Tom T. A. Lummen, Yijia Gu, Jianjun Wang
Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works
High-performance piezoelectrics are lead-based solid solutions that exhibit a so-called morphotropic phase boundary, which separates two competing phases as a function of chemical composition; as a consequence, an intermediate low-symmetry phase with a strong piezoelectric effect arises. In search for environmentally sustainable lead-free alternatives that exhibit analogous characteristics, we use a network of competing domains to create similar conditions across thermal inter-ferroelectric transitions in simple, lead-free ferroelectrics such as BaTiO3 and KNbO3. Here we report the experimental observation of thermotropic phase boundaries in these classic ferroelectrics, through direct imaging of low-symmetry intermediate phases that exhibit large enhancements …