Thermal and mechanical properties of LaCoO₃ and La_0.8Ca_0.2CoO₃ perovskites

In this work, the thermal and mechanical properties such as coefficient of thermal expansion, strength, Young's modulus and fracture toughness of LaCoO₃ and La_0.8Ca_0.2CoO₃ perovskites have been studied, as well as slow crack growth of La_0.8Ca_0.2CoO₃. The mechanical performance of the two cobaltites have been evaluated in terms of their ferroelastic hysteresis properties such as non-symmetry in bending of both stress and strain distributions, non-linear deformation upon applied load from the arbitrary low stresses, and ferroelastic toughening.