Fatigue as a phase transition

Abstract

We consider the possibility that fatigue in perovskite oxides, especially PZT (lead zirconate-titanate), can be described as a percolative phase transition involving ordering of oxygen vacancies. A peripherally related wetting phase transition for Bi₂O₃ is also described as a hypothesis for self-patterning of bismuth oxide nano-electrodes on SBT (strontium bismuth tantalate) and for the formation of elemental metallic Bi on SBT or bismuth titanate surfaces, even in air. The latter model is similar to the wetting transition known for liquid Bi₂O₃ on ZnO grains in varistors.

Key Words:

• Fatigue
• PZT
• SBT
• bismuth oxide
• wetting