Fatigue and retention properties of shape memory piezoelectric actuator with non-180° domain switching

A shape memory piezoelectric actuator can maintain a piezoelectric displacement without an operating voltage. It has two stable strain states at zero voltage: a poled state and a depoled state. The driving principle of the shape memory piezoelectric actuator is based on reorientation of the non-180° domains in the ferroelectric materials. In this study, a unimorph shape memory piezoelectric actuator with a soft lead zirconate titanate was fabricated. The fatigue and retention properties of this shape memory piezoelectric actuator were investigated. The fatigue behavior of the actuator in the early stages is considered to be closely related to the domain stabilization process. Continuous cycle fatigue tests revealed that the shape memory piezoelectric actuator continues to operate even after 106 cycles. Retention measurements revealed that the depoled state of the actuator was more stable than the poled state. The drift in the actuator displacement over one year was estimated to be less than 10% of the initial shape memory displacement. (paper)