Ferroelasticity in mixed conducting LaCoO3 based perovskites: a ferroelastic phase transition Original Research Article

The defect structure of LaCoO3 based ferroic perovskites has been studied by TEM. The dynamics of the temperature-induced ferroelastic to paraelastic phase transition was directly monitored by in-situ TEM during thermal cycles from room temperature to 700 °C. Different types of structural features of LaCoO3 based perovskites have been observed, such as twins, antiphase domains, stacking faults, and dislocations. Domain motion and de-twinning during heating, and the reappearance of twins during cooling have been demonstrated. This is important for the understanding of ferroelastic hysteretic behavior of LaCoO3 based perovskite ceramics.