U.S.-Germany Cooperative Research: Constitutive Behavior and Reliability of Ferroelectric Ceramics

Georgia Tech Research Corporation, Atlanta GA

Investigators

Abstract

9981585 Lynch This award supports Christopher Lynch and three students from Georgia Tech in a collaboration with Juergen Roedel of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany. The project will focus on understanding the mechanisms of failure of ferroelectric ceramics under both electrical and mechanical loading. Recent applications of ferroelectric ceramics, such as light-weight, quick-response acoustic-and vibration-control devices require that the materials be able to withstand large strains, making reliability of such materials one of the top engineering fields. The U.S. group has developed a finite-element code capable of modeling stress and electric field concentration in ferroelectric materials; the German group has developed experimental techniques and specialized equipment for measuring the crack propagation behavior of the materials under investigation. The collaboration will bring together the complementary strengths of both groups, which should lead to new capabilities for the design of optimal ceramics.