Roger Howard Moore

Electric field effect on the rhombohedral–rhombohedral phase transformation in tin modified lead zirconate titanate ceramics

The ferroelectric–to–ferroelectic phase transformation between the high temperature (FERH) and the low temperature (FERL) rhomobohedral phases in lead based perovskite under the dc bias conditions was investigated. Dielectric measurements show that an external electric field stabilizes the FERL phase and moves the phase transformation to a higher temperature. The observation has been further verified by an in situ microfocused x-ray study where an external field can effectively induce the oxygen octahedral tilting in the crystalline lattice and extends the thermal stability region of the FERL phase to a higher temperature. An analysis based on the combination of the Clausius–Clapeyron relationship with lattice dynamic principles suggests that the transformation from FERH to FERL is driven by a short-range interaction in the crystalline lattice. The origin of this short-range interaction is proposed, based on the structural evolution during the phase transformation. Experimental evidence suggests that such...

Chem-prep PZT95/5 for neutron generator applications : the effect of pore former type and density on the depoling behavior of chemically prepared PZT 95/5 ceramics.

The hydrostatically induced ferroelectric(FE)-to-antiferroelectric(AFE) phase transformation for chemically prepared niobium modified PZT 95/5 ceramics was studied as a function of density and pore former type (Lucite or Avicel). Special attention was placed on the effect of different pore formers on the charge release behavior associated with the FE-to-AFE phase transformation. Within the same density range (7.26 g/cm3 to 7.44 g/cm3), results showed that ceramics prepared with Lucite pore former exhibit a higher bulk modulus and a sharper polarization release behavior than those prepared with Avicel. In addition, the average transformation pressure was 10.7% greater and the amount of polarization released was 2.1% higher for ceramics with Lucite pore former. The increased transformation pressure was attributed to the increase of bulk modulus associated with Lucite pore former. Data indicated that a minimum volumetric transformational strain of -0.42% was required to trigger the hydrostatically induced FE-to-AFE phase transformation. This work has important implications for increasing the high temperature charge output for neutron generator power supply units.

Field-enhanced piezoelectric deformation during the high temperature/low temperature rhombohedral (FERh/FERL) phase transformation for tin modified lead zirconate titanate ceramics

An unusual field-enhanced piezoelectric deformation near the FERH/FERL structural phase transformation was observed in a tin modified lead zirconate titanate solid solution. In addition to the typical field-induced domain reorientation and the piezoelectric strain, this additional field-enhanced deformation only observed near the phase transformation increases linearly with external electric field strength. A 78% increase in field-enhanced strain was observed at a field strength of 32 kV/cm. Comparison of the dielectric susceptibility at low and high field conditions suggests that the observed unusual behavior is created by a field-induced lattice softening during the structural phase transformation. Experimental observations on the field-induced softening phenomena are reported.

Chem-Prep PZT 95/5 for Neutron Generator Applications: Development of Laboratory-Scale Powder Processing Operations

Chemical synthesis methods are being developed as a future source of PZT 95/5 powder for neutron generator voltage bar applications. Laboratory-scale powder processes were established to produce PZT billets from these powders. The interactions between calcining temperature, sintering temperature, and pore former content were studied to identify the conditions necessary to produce PZT billets of the desired density and grain size. Several binder systems and pressing aids were evaluated for producing uniform sintered billets with low open porosity. The development of these processes supported the powder synthesis efforts and enabled comparisons between different chem-prep routes.