Modeling of domain switching in polycrystalline ferroelectric ceramics

This paper is concerned with the modeling of domain switching in polycrystalline ferroelectric ceramics. In the present analysis, each grain is modeled as a mixture, consisting of distinct types of domains which are characterized by their mass fractions as internal variables. Domain switching corresponds to changes of mass fractions of the corresponding domains, and the driving force of domain switching is the difference in Gibbs' energies. A thermodynamics-based criterion is proposed to govern domain switching in quasi-static processes. Some numerical results for an idealized one-dimensional ferroelectric system are included to illustrate the polycrystalline effect on the grain-level electric field distribution and the polarization response to applied electric fields.