Feasible acid-etching method for investigating temperature-dependent domain configurations of ferroelectric ceramics

Abstract Domain structure often plays significantly important roles in determining both the piezoelectric properties and the piezoelectric temperature stabilities of ferroelectric ceramics. However, a convenient and reliable technique for studying temperature-dependent domain configurations is greatly desired. Inspired by “burning CDs”, we proposed here a temperature-variable acid-etching method (abbreviated hereafter as VTAE) for such purpose. Utilizing this method, domain configurations of the poled 0.96(K0.48Na0.52)(Nb0.96Sb0.04)O3–0.04(Bi0.50Na0.50)ZrO3 (abbreviated hereafter as KNNS-4%BNZ)lead-free ceramic were investigated at different temperatures. Diversified domain patterns that consist of parallel-stripe domains, herringbone domains and wedge-shaped domains are recognized in different phases, respectively. It is found from the evolution of domain configurations with temperature that nanodomain structure is closely related to the high piezoelectric responses and temperature instabilities in the KNNS-4%BNZ ceramic. The result proves that this VTAE method is a feasible method for studying the temperature-dependent domain configurations of ferroelectric ceramics.