In situ mechanical compression of polycrystalline BaTiO3 in the ESEM

Ferroelectric BaTiO3 was mechanically compressed in situ, in an environmental scanning electron microscope equipped with a compression stage and domain wall motion was recorded using orientation contrast imaging. Before and after the experiment, the sample was characterized by electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) in order to determine the misorientation between single domains which was 90° in every case. During the compression test, the microstructure changed from a banded twin structure to lamellar twinning.