Ferroelectric and ferroelastic piezoceramics -- modeling of electromechanical hysteresis phenomena. (Q5951857)

This review article presents a rather detailed expositions of current developments in modeling piezoceramics. Piezoceramics are anisotropic and polycrystalline solids exhibiting ferroelectric and ferroelastic phenomena, the most salient of which are electric and strain hystereses. Piezoceramics are becoming more and more important because of their ample use in smart systems as sensors or actuators. The most prominent piezoceramic materials are barium titanate and PZT (lead zirconate titanate). The review deals first with microscopic properties by considering a unit cell of a crystal under the action of electromecanical loads. It is shown that the macroscopic hysteresis is closely related to microscopic switching processes. But, it is also observed that hereditary properties of the material in addition to its ferroelastic response play a crucial role as well. The review is mostly descriptive. However, some rudiments of a constitutive theory are also provided. First, a simplified approach is given which may be useful in engineering designs. Further, this theory is improved by introducing internal variables and their evolution equations and thermodynamic restrictions emanating from Clausius-Duhem inequality. This review describes clearly the present state-of-the-art of this practically important field and provides a useful reference for those who wants to understand the physical nature of problems inherent in piezoceramics.