Elastic modulus, hardness and fracture behavior of Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3–PbTiO3 single crystal

The deformation, crack initiation, fracture behavior and mechanical properties of (0 0 1)-oriented single crystal of Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3–7% PbTiO3 (PZN–7% PT) in both unpoled and poled states have been investigated by using nanoindentation, micro-indentation and three-point bending experiments. Nanoindentation experiments revealed that, unlike typical brittle materials, material pile-ups around the indentation impressions were commonly observed at ultra-low loads. The elastic modulus and hardness were also determined by using nanoindentation experiments. The critical indentation load for crack initiation, determined by using micro-indentation experiments, is 0.135 N for unpoled samples, increasing to 0.465 N for the positive surface (crack propagation direction against the poling direction) of poled samples but decreasing slightly to 0.132 N for the negative surface (crack propagation direction along the poling direction) of the poled samples. Indentation/strength (three-point bend) test showed a similar trend for the “apparent” fracture toughness, giving 0.36 MPa√m for unpoled samples, increasing to 0.44 MPa√m for the positive surface of poled samples but decreasing to 0.30 MPa√m for the negative surface of poled samples. Polarized light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used to study the material adjacent to the indentations and the fracture surfaces produced by the three-point bend tests. The results were correlated with the various fracture properties observed.