Abstract The domain configurations such as domain size, orientation, and interdomain spacing have a significant influence on the electromechanical properties of piezoelectric materials though their role on mechanical properties is not well understood. In this manuscript, we have systematically varied the domain configuration of polycrystalline lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate (PMN-PT) piezoceramics (by annealing them below and slightly above the Curie temperature, Tc) and determined the nanomechanical properties. Nanoindentation experiments performed on pristine, sub and above-Tc annealed samples in the peak load range of 1 mN–5 mN reveals a strong indentation size effect (ISE) in hardness, H. Further, it is observed that the sub-Tc annealed samples exhibit higher H and elastic modulus, E compared to the above-Tc annealed and pristine samples. In contrast to this, the piezoelectric constant, d33, decreases with increase in annealing temperature eventually approaches to “zero” for the above-Tc annealed samples, though both sub and above-Tc annealed samples have similar crystal structure. The microstructure and domain characterization indicate discernable differences in the domain structure suggesting that the differences in nano-mechanical and piezoelectric properties can be attributed to the changes in domain configurations. These results provide new insights about the novel way to engineer the domain configurations for tailoring mechanical and piezoelectric properties of the piezoceramics.

中文翻译：

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亚居里和高于居里温度退火对 PMN-PT 压电陶瓷纳米力学性能的影响

摘要 畴尺寸、取向和畴间间距等畴配置对压电材料的机电性能有显着影响，尽管它们对机械性能的作用尚不清楚。在这份手稿中，我们系统地改变了多晶铅镁铌酸铅 (PMN-PT) 压电陶瓷的域配置（通过在居里温度 Tc 以下和略高于居里温度的温度下对它们进行退火），并确定了纳米力学性能。在 1 mN–5 mN 的峰值载荷范围内对原始、亚和以上 Tc 退火样品进行的纳米压痕实验揭示了硬度 H 的强烈压痕尺寸效应 (ISE)。此外，观察到亚 Tc 退火样品与上述 Tc 退火和原始样品相比，表现出更高的 H 和弹性模量 E。与此相反，尽管低于 Tc 和高于 Tc 退火的样品具有相似的晶体结构，但压电常数 d33 随着退火温度的增加而降低，最终对于高于 Tc 的退火样品接近“零”。微观结构和域表征表明域结构的可辨别差异表明纳米机械和压电性能的差异可归因于域配置的变化。这些结果为设计域配置以定制压电陶瓷的机械和压电特性的新方法提供了新的见解。尽管低于 Tc 和高于 Tc 的退火样品具有相似的晶体结构。微观结构和域表征表明域结构的可辨别差异表明纳米机械和压电性能的差异可归因于域配置的变化。这些结果为设计域配置以定制压电陶瓷的机械和压电特性的新方法提供了新的见解。尽管低于 Tc 和高于 Tc 的退火样品具有相似的晶体结构。微观结构和域表征表明域结构的可辨别差异表明纳米机械和压电性能的差异可归因于域配置的变化。这些结果为设计域配置以定制压电陶瓷的机械和压电特性的新方法提供了新的见解。