Creep of polycrystalline SrCo0.8Fe0.2O3−δ Original Research Article

In this study, a series of compressive creep tests on rectangular specimens of SrCo0.8Fe0.2O3−δ of grain sizes in the range of 2.4–6.8 μm was performed in air, covering a temperature range of 850–975°C and a stress range of 2–80 MPa. The stress exponent has been found to be close to unity in the 10–20 MPa stress range. The apparent activation energy assumes two different values, 471 kJ/mole below 925°C and 275 kJ/mole above 925°C. The microstructural observations of crept samples revealed equiaxed grains and negligible grain growth indicating a diffusion-accommodated grain switching mechanism. The logarithmic plot of strain rate vs inverse grain size has been found to be non-linear. A possible explanation for this behavior is discussed through the incorporation of a threshold stress. The possibility of estimating the lattice and grain-boundary diffusion coefficients from the data is discussed.