Kinetic effects in the electrical response of a shock-compressed ferroelectric ceramic

Projectile impact experiments were conducted on specimens of PSZT 70/30-6. The shock-wave-induced depolarization of this material has an equilibration time of ?0.2 μsec which is similar to that of other ferroelectric ceramics. However, PSZT 70/30-6 does not revert rapidly to a poled state upon unloading. Thus, a nearly constant voltage is produced in our axial-mode experiments even though shock and release waves reverberate within the specimens. This interesting response of PSZT 70/30-6 is likely caused by a phase transformation near 0.3 GPa.