Nano-indentation studies and macro-scale mechanical testing of calcium modified (Pb_0.75Ba_0.25)(Zr_0.70Ti_0.30)O₃ ceramics

ABSTRACT

The main motivation of present article is to clarify the role of calcium ions in the formation of the mechanical properties of (Pb_0.75Ba_0.25)(Zr_0.70Ti_0.30)O₃ ceramics. For this purpose the base ceramics as well as ceramics contain 0.5; 1; 2; 3; 4 at.% of calcium were prepared using conventional mixed oxide method. In the experiment, the nanoindentation techniques were applied to evaluate the elastic modulus and hardness values as a function of indentation depth. The results were compared with these in macroscale obtained by ultrasound techniques and shown that not always expensive nanoscale characterisation methods reveal real materials properties in microscale.

Keywords:

• PBZT ceramics; Young`s modulus; nanoindentation