Effects of magneto-electric loadings and piezomagnetic/piezoelectric stiffening on multiferroic interface fracture

Interface fracture of a multiferroic composite is studied by the methods of integral transform and singular integral equation. Parametric studies on the stress intensity factor yield three conclusions. (a) The multiferroic composite is more likely to fracture in electric field than in magnetic field. (b) Under magnetostriction, piezomagnetic stiffening does not affect the interface crack, but the influence of piezoelectric stiffening is notable. Under electrostriction, inverse results are obtained. (c) In magnetic loading cases, the piezomagnetic layer should be softer and the piezoelectric strip stiffer; however, if electric loading is applied instead, opposite conclusion should be expected.