Effect of mechanical stress on the electromechanical performance of PZT and PMN-PT ceramics

The properties of several piezoceramics such as soft PZT and hard PZT and relaxor ferroelectric 0.9PMN-0.1PT under uniaxial stress were characterized. It was observed that uniaxial compressive stresses have a marked effect on the soft PZT, including reducing the piezoelectric coefficient and depoling the sample at a relatively low stress level. On the other hand, the uniaxial compressive stress increases the piezoelectric coefficients in hard PZT. The different response to the stress between the hard and soft PZT was elucidated here. The influence of uniaxial stress on 0.9PMN-0.1PT depends on the DC electric field applied to it. The change of the elastic compliance with uniaxial stress was also dealt with.