Fracture processes in ferroic materials

This paper analyzes recent studies on the fracture behavior of BaTiO3 and Pb(ZrTi)O3. The analysis shows that the measured fracture parameters (strength, fracture energy, flaw size) in the ferroic state can be described by standard fracture mechanics equations which are modified to take into account internal stresses. Thus, the analysis suggests that the effects of ferroic mechanisms (ferroelastic twinning, phase transformations) on fracture are important only prior to catastrophic crack propagation.