Prediction of dielectric breakdown in shock−loaded ferroelectric ceramics

Recent investigations of dielectric breakdown of a poled ferroelectric ceramic suggest that the same mechanisms are acitve in shock−loading and ambient−condition experiments. Further work described here supported this view for PZT 65/35. Breakdown in shock−loaded specimens can be predicted from ambient and quasistatic−loading data using the concept of a critical particle energy. The effects of the ferroelectric−to−paraelectric transformation and other factors are discussed for shock−loaded PZT materials.