Nanomechanical behavior of Pb(Fe_0.5−xSc_xNb_0.5)O₃ multiferroic ceramics

Nanomechanical behavior of Pb(Fe_0.5−xSc_xNb_0.5)O₃ [(PFSN) (0 ≤ x ≤0.4)] was investigated with systematic variation in Sc content to capture the effect of doping induced structural phase transition on mechanical properties. Reduced modulus initially decreased with increase in doping concentration up to 0.2% of Sc content and then showed increment with further addition of Sc. In situ nanoindentation has been carried out from room temperature to 140 °C to measure the variation in reduced modulus and hardness values with temperature in Pb(Fe_0.5Nb_0.5)O₃ without Sc addition. Hardness and reduced modulus values of Pb(Fe_0.5Nb_0.5)O₃ were found increase from 60 to 100 °C indicating the role of phase transition. (paper)