Dominant factors influencing the nanoindentation response of piezoelectric materials: a case study in relaxor ferroelectrics

The nanoindentation response of a piezoelectric material is, in general, influenced in a complex manner by its elastic, dielectric and piezoelectric properties. The present study is focused on obtaining a comprehensive understanding of the dominant material factors influencing the force–depth mechanical indentation response and the charge–depth electrical indentation response of piezoelectric materials. From a large number of three-dimensional finite element simulations of the indentation of simple and complex piezoelectric materials (such as PZT-5A and relaxor ferroelectrics), the following principal conclusions are obtained: (1) For indentations with both conducting and insulating indenters, the mechanical indentation stiffness is influenced more by the elastic properties, while the electrical indentation stiffness is influenced largely by the piezoelectric properties of the indented materials. (2) For longitudinal indentations using a conducting indenter, the elastic constants, C ₃₃ and C ₁₃, and piezoelectric constants, e₃₃ and e₁₅, are, respectively, the first and second most dominant material constants that influence the mechanical indentation stiffness and the electrical indentation stiffness. (3) For transverse indentations using a conducting indenter, the elastic constants, C ₁₁ and C ₁₂, are, respectively, the first and second most dominant material constants that influence the mechanical indentation stiffness. (4) In the indentation of relaxor ferroelectrics based on PMN-xPT and PZN-xPT, which exhibit a range of elastic, dielectric and piezoelectric properties, it is generally observed that materials with higher normal elastic and piezoelectric constants, i.e., C ₃₃ and e₃₃, respectively, exhibit higher mechanical and electrical indentation stiffnesses.     

New insights on tensile plasticity of ultrafine-grained metallic materials

ABSTRACT

The tensile properties of TiNi_43.5Fe_6.5 alloy samples having different grain sizes (0.16, 0.35, 1.7, 2.3, and 3.9?μm) and fabricated by severe plastic deformation and annealing were investigated. It was observed that both the strength and the elongation of the alloy increase with a decrease in the grain size until the average size reaches 1.7?μm. However, for average grain sizes smaller than 1.7?μm, the elongation decreases continuously with further grain refinement. On the other hand, the strain-hardening rate does not decrease with the decrease in plasticity but instead increases slightly. The poor ductility of the ultrafine-grained TiNi_43.5Fe_6.5 alloy is accompanied by a high degree of strain hardening. This newly observed ductility behaviour of the ultrafine-grained TiNi_43.5Fe_6.5 alloy is elucidated by characterising the intragranular and grain boundaries.     

Effect of crystallization on the surface area of porous Ni-based metallic glass foams

The change of the specific surface area in porous Ni₅₉Zr₂₀Ti₁₆Si₂Sn₃ metallic glass (MG) upon partial crystallization was investigated. The observed increase in the surface area of the annealed Ni-based MG foams is due to the formation of homogeneously distributed Ni₁₀(Zr,Ti)₇ rod-shape intermetallic phases with nominal diameters around 250?nm and ～800?nm length on the surface of MG struts during the crystallization. For longer annealing, the specific surface area decreases again due to a change of the morphology of the crystals from rod-like to disc-like appearance, thus suggesting an optimum regime for increasing the specific surface area upon isothermal annealing at a given temperature.     

Microstructure evolution and hardness variation of pack-rolled nanocrystalline nickel

The microstructure evolution and hardness of nanocrystalline nickel during pack rolling at room temperature have been investigated. It was found that the roll-bonding side (R) and non-roll-bonding side (NR) behaved quite differently. The hardness of side R is higher than that of side NR. No obvious work softening was observed in either side R or side NR until the strain reached ~ 0.611. Quantitative X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that the grain size in side NR increases faster than that in side R, a result confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. Texture analysis showed that (2 0 0) preferred orientation first strengthens but then weakens in both sides NR and R, while a strong (2 2 0) preferred orientation emerges, particularly in side R. Further texture analysis suggests that dislocation slip is responsible for the texture discrepancy between side NR and side R. The dislocation activity, grain rotation and grain growth are discussed based on the experimental results.     

Causal attributions for behaviors consistent or inconsistent with an actor's personality traits: Differences between those offered by actors and observers

The present research was designed to investigate differences in the attributions offered from the actor's perspective and the observer's perspective. It was predicted that causal attributions for behaviors inconsistent with an actor's personality traits would be more situational when offered from the actor's perspective than when offered from the observer's perspective. In contrast, it was predicted that causal attributions for behaviors consistent with an actor's personality traits would be more dispositional when offered from the actor's perspective than when offered from the observer's perspective. Consistent with these hypotheses, extraverts explained introverted behaviors and introverts explained extraverted behaviors more situationally from the actor's perspective than from the observer's perspective. Furthermore, extraverts explained extraverted behaviors and introverts explained introverted behaviors more dispositionally from the actor's perspective than from the observer's perspective. These differences in the attributions offered by actors and observers were attenuated but not eliminated when attributors had access to useful situational information with which to apply the discounting principle.