Antiferroelectric Shape Memory Ceramics

Antiferroelectrics (AFE) can exhibit a “shape memory function controllable by electric field”, with huge isotropic volumetric expansion (0.26%) associated with the AFE to Ferroelectric (FE) phase transformation. Small inverse electric field application can realize the original AFE phase. The response speed is quick (2.5 ms). In the Pb0.99Nb0.02[(Zr0.6Sn0.4)1-yTiy]0.98O3 (PNZST) system, the shape memory function is observed in the intermediate range between high temperature AFE and low temperature FE, or low Ti-concentration AFE and high Ti-concentration FE in the composition. In the AFE multilayer actuators (MLAs), the crack is initiated in the center of a pair of internal electrodes under cyclic electric field, rather than the edge area of the internal electrodes in normal piezoelectric MLAs. The two-sublattice polarization coupling model is proposed to explain: (1) isotropic volume expansion during the AFE-FE transformation; and (2) piezoelectric anisotropy. We introduce latching relays and mechanical clampers as possible unique applications of shape memory ceramics.