Crack propagation in an electrostrictive PMN-PT material under applied electric fields is studied using the Vickers indentation technique. It is observed that the applied electric field can enhance or inhibit crack propagation in the electrostrictive material depending on the orientation of the crack with respect to the applied electric field. Cracks introduced by an indentation are observed to propagate significantly more in the direction perpendicular to the applied electric field and this effect becomes more profound with increasing electric field strength. The length of cracks parallel to the applied electric field is decreased and such a decrease seems to reach a maximum at a certain electric field strength. These observations, made for free standing specimens in the current study, are different from those seen by other researchers using constrained multilayer electrostrictive PMN specimens where crack growth in both the perpendicular and parallel directions was observed to be inhibited by applied electric fields. This difference in crack propagation is attributed to different stress states in the electrostrictive materials because of the presence and absence of external mechanical constraints.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Wang et al. (1995) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: