Change in Creep Deformation of PST Crystals with Different Stress Axes

Abstract

Based on our analysis of a lot of creep rate-strain curves of PST crystals with the different angles between the lamellar plate and the stress axis, designated as ø, it was confirmed that the creep rate and the creep deformation manner strongly depend on the ø. It was supposed that the predominant creep deformation using γ plate during the transient stage is derived by the fully suppression of the operation of another slip systems not parallel to γ plate through α2 plate. It was also confirmed that the initial stress axes of the PST crystals within the standard stereographic triangle move for the [001]-[111] line, and then turn their directions for [111] pole during the transient stage. This moving manner of the stress axis indicated that the first slip system of [101](111) continues to the area near the [001]-[111] line in the standard stereographic triangle, and then, the second slip system of [110](111) operates. By comparing this moving manner to the creep rate-strain curve, it is suggested that the first slip system of [101](111) operates during the Stage I where the light decrease in the creep rate remains, after that, the second slip system of [110](111) appears and leads to steep decrease in the creep rate. This stage was designated as the Stage II. According to this conception, it is supposed that the strain at the end of the Stage I is directly correlated with the angle from the initial stress axis to the [001]-[111] line in the standard stereographic triangle. In this study, this supposition was confirmed by conducting the creep tests at 1148 K/68.6 MPa using two PST crystals with ø of 31° and 34°. The initial stress axis of the PST crystal with ø of 31° locates nearer to the [001]-[-111] line than that of the PST crystal with ø of 34°. The strain at the end of the Stage I of the PST crystal with ø of 31° is half that of the PST crystal with ø of 34°. By analyzing the inverse pole figures of the creep interrupted PST crystals, it was confirmed that the angle from the initial stress axis to the [001]-[111] line is correlated with the strain of the transient stage.