WorldWideScience

Sample records for piezoelectric insert optimization

  1. Teleoperation System with Hybrid Pneumatic-Piezoelectric Actuation for MRI-Guided Needle Insertion with Haptic Feedback

    OpenAIRE

    Shang, Weijian; Su, Hao; Li, Gang; Fischer, Gregory S.

    2013-01-01

    This paper presents a surgical master-slave tele-operation system for percutaneous interventional procedures under continuous magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guidance. This system consists of a piezoelectrically actuated slave robot for needle placement with integrated fiber optic force sensor utilizing Fabry-Perot interferometry (FPI) sensing principle. The sensor flexure is optimized and embedded to the slave robot for measuring needle insertion force. A novel, compact opto-mechanical FPI ...

  2. Ferroelectric materials for piezoelectric actuators by optimal design

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jayachandran, K.P.; Guedes, J.M.; Rodrigues, H.C.

    2011-01-01

    Research highlights: → Microstructure optimization of ferroelectric materials by stochastic optimization. → Polycrystalline ferroelectrics possess better piezo actuation than single crystals. → Randomness of the grain orientations would enhance the overall piezoelectricity. - Abstract: Optimization methods provide a systematic means of designing heterogeneous materials with tailored properties and microstructures focussing on a specific objective. An optimization procedure incorporating a continuum modeling is used in this work to identify the ideal orientation distribution of ferroelectrics (FEs) for application in piezoelectric actuators. Piezoelectric actuation is dictated primarily by the piezoelectric strain coefficients d iμ . Crystallographic orientation is inextricably related to the piezoelectric properties of FEs. This suggests that piezoelectric properties can be tailored by a proper choice of the parameters which control the orientation distribution. Nevertheless, this choice is complicated and it is impossible to analyze all possible combinations of the distribution parameters or the angles themselves. Stochastic optimization combined with a generalized Monte Carlo scheme is used to optimize the objective functions, the effective piezoelectric coefficients d 31 and d 15 . The procedure is applied to heterogeneous, polycrystalline, FE ceramics which are essentially an aggregate of variously oriented grains (crystallites). Global piezoelectric properties are calculated using the homogenization method at each grain configuration chosen by the optimization algorithm. Optimal design variables and microstructure that would generate polycrystalline configurations that multiply the macroscopic piezoelectricity are identified.

  3. Teleoperation System with Hybrid Pneumatic-Piezoelectric Actuation for MRI-Guided Needle Insertion with Haptic Feedback.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shang, Weijian; Su, Hao; Li, Gang; Fischer, Gregory S

    2013-01-01

    This paper presents a surgical master-slave tele-operation system for percutaneous interventional procedures under continuous magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guidance. This system consists of a piezoelectrically actuated slave robot for needle placement with integrated fiber optic force sensor utilizing Fabry-Perot interferometry (FPI) sensing principle. The sensor flexure is optimized and embedded to the slave robot for measuring needle insertion force. A novel, compact opto-mechanical FPI sensor interface is integrated into an MRI robot control system. By leveraging the complementary features of pneumatic and piezoelectric actuation, a pneumatically actuated haptic master robot is also developed to render force associated with needle placement interventions to the clinician. An aluminum load cell is implemented and calibrated to close the impedance control loop of the master robot. A force-position control algorithm is developed to control the hybrid actuated system. Teleoperated needle insertion is demonstrated under live MR imaging, where the slave robot resides in the scanner bore and the user manipulates the master beside the patient outside the bore. Force and position tracking results of the master-slave robot are demonstrated to validate the tracking performance of the integrated system. It has a position tracking error of 0.318mm and sine wave force tracking error of 2.227N.

  4. Teleoperation System with Hybrid Pneumatic-Piezoelectric Actuation for MRI-Guided Needle Insertion with Haptic Feedback

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shang, Weijian; Su, Hao; Li, Gang; Fischer, Gregory S.

    2014-01-01

    This paper presents a surgical master-slave tele-operation system for percutaneous interventional procedures under continuous magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guidance. This system consists of a piezoelectrically actuated slave robot for needle placement with integrated fiber optic force sensor utilizing Fabry-Perot interferometry (FPI) sensing principle. The sensor flexure is optimized and embedded to the slave robot for measuring needle insertion force. A novel, compact opto-mechanical FPI sensor interface is integrated into an MRI robot control system. By leveraging the complementary features of pneumatic and piezoelectric actuation, a pneumatically actuated haptic master robot is also developed to render force associated with needle placement interventions to the clinician. An aluminum load cell is implemented and calibrated to close the impedance control loop of the master robot. A force-position control algorithm is developed to control the hybrid actuated system. Teleoperated needle insertion is demonstrated under live MR imaging, where the slave robot resides in the scanner bore and the user manipulates the master beside the patient outside the bore. Force and position tracking results of the master-slave robot are demonstrated to validate the tracking performance of the integrated system. It has a position tracking error of 0.318mm and sine wave force tracking error of 2.227N. PMID:25126446

  5. Simultaneous control and piezoelectric insert optimization for manipulators with flexible link

    OpenAIRE

    Bottega, Valdecir; Pergher, Rejane; Fonseca, Jun S. O.

    2009-01-01

    This work proposes a tracking control model for a flexible link robotic manipulator using simultaneously motor torques and piezoelectric actuators. The dynamic model of manipulator is obtained in a closed form through the Lagrangian approach. The control uses the motor torques for the tracking control of the joints and also to reduce the low frequency vibration induced in the manipulator links. The stability of this control is guaranteed by the Lyapunov stability theory. Piezoelectric actuato...

  6. Optimal design of robust piezoelectric unimorph microgrippers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ruiz, David; Díaz-Molina, Alex; Sigmund, Ole

    2018-01-01

    Topology optimization can be used to design piezoelectric actuators by simultaneous design of host structure and polarization profile. Subsequent micro-scale fabrication leads us to overcome important manufacturing limitations: difficulties in placing a piezoelectric layer on both top and bottom...

  7. Controlled carrier screening in p-n NiO/GaN piezoelectric generators by an Al2O3 insertion layer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johar, Muhammad Ali; Jeong, Dae Kyung; Afifi Hassan, Mostafa; Kang, Jin-Ho; Ha, Jun-Seok; Key Lee, June; Ryu, Sang-Wan

    2017-12-01

    The performance of a piezoelectric generator (PG) depends significantly on the internal screening process inside the device. As piezoelectric charges appear on both ends of the piezoelectric crystal, internal screening starts to decrease the piezoelectric bias. Therefore, the piezoelectric energy generated by external stress is not fully utilized by external circuit, which is the most challenging aspect of high-efficiency PGs. In this work, the internal screening effect of a NiO/GaN p-n PG was analyzed and controlled with an Al2O3 insertion layer. Internal screening in the p-n diode PG was categorized into free-carrier screening in neutral regions and junction screening due to charge drift across the junction. It was observed that junction screening could be significantly suppressed by inserting an Al2O3 layer and that effect was dominant in a leaky diode PG. With this implementation, the piezoelectric bias of the NiO/GaN PG was improved by a factor of ~100 for high-leakage diodes and a factor of ~1.6 for low-leakage diodes. Consequently, NiO/Al2O3/GaN PGs under a stress of 5 MPa provided a piezoelectric bias of 12.1 V and a current density of 2.25 µA cm-2. The incorporation of a highly resistive Al2O3 layer between p-NiO and n-GaN layers in NiO/GaN heterojunctions provides an efficient means of improving the piezoelectric performance by controlling the internal screening of the piezoelectric field.

  8. Multimodal piezoelectric devices optimization for energy harvesting

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G Acciani

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available The use of the piezoelectric effect to convert ambient vibration into useful electrical energy constitutes one of the most studied areas in Energy Harvesting (EH research. This paper presents a typical cantilevered Energy Harvester device, which relates the electrical outputs to the vibration mode shape easily. The dynamic strain induced in the piezoceramic layer results in an alternating voltage output. The first six modes of frequencies and the deformation pattern of the beam are carried out basing on an eigenfrequency analysis conducted by the MEMS modules of the COMSOL Multiphysic® v3.5a to perform the Finite Element Analysis of the model. Subsequently, the piezoelectric material is cut around the inflection points to minimize the voltage cancellation effect occurring when the sign changes in the material. This study shows that the voltage produced by the device, increases in as the dimensions of the cuts vary in the piezoelectric layer. Such voltage reaches the optimum amount of piezoelectric material and cuts positioning. This proves that the optimized piezoelectric layer is 16% more efficient than the whole piezoelectric layer.

  9. Smart helicopter rotors optimization and piezoelectric vibration control

    CERN Document Server

    Ganguli, Ranjan; Viswamurthy, Sathyamangalam Ramanarayanan

    2016-01-01

    Exploiting the properties of piezoelectric materials to minimize vibration in rotor-blade actuators, this book demonstrates the potential of smart helicopter rotors to achieve the smoothness of ride associated with jet-engined, fixed-wing aircraft. Vibration control is effected using the concepts of trailing-edge flaps and active-twist. The authors’ optimization-based approach shows the advantage of multiple trailing-edge flaps and algorithms for full-authority control of dual trailing-edge-flap actuators are presented. Hysteresis nonlinearity in piezoelectric stack actuators is highlighted and compensated by use of another algorithm. The idea of response surfaces provides for optimal placement of trailing-edge flaps. The concept of active twist involves the employment of piezoelectrically induced shear actuation in rotating beams. Shear is then demonstrated for a thin-walled aerofoil-section rotor blade under feedback-control vibration minimization. Active twist is shown to be significant in reducing vibra...

  10. Optimization of piezoelectric cantilever energy harvesters including non-linear effects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Patel, R; McWilliam, S; Popov, A A

    2014-01-01

    This paper proposes a versatile non-linear model for predicting piezoelectric energy harvester performance. The presented model includes (i) material non-linearity, for both substrate and piezoelectric layers, and (ii) geometric non-linearity incorporated by assuming inextensibility and accurately representing beam curvature. The addition of a sub-model, which utilizes the transfer matrix method to predict eigenfrequencies and eigenvectors for segmented beams, allows for accurate optimization of piezoelectric layer coverage. A validation of the overall theoretical model is performed through experimental testing on both uniform and non-uniform samples manufactured in-house. For the harvester composition used in this work, the magnitude of material non-linearity exhibited by the piezoelectric layer is 35 times greater than that of the substrate layer. It is also observed that material non-linearity, responsible for reductions in resonant frequency with increases in base acceleration, is dominant over geometric non-linearity for standard piezoelectric harvesting devices. Finally, over the tested range, energy loss due to damping is found to increase in a quasi-linear fashion with base acceleration. During an optimization study on piezoelectric layer coverage, results from the developed model were compared with those from a linear model. Unbiased comparisons between harvesters were realized by using devices with identical natural frequencies—created by adjusting the device substrate thickness. Results from three studies, each with a different assumption on mechanical damping variations, are presented. Findings showed that, depending on damping variation, a non-linear model is essential for such optimization studies with each model predicting vastly differing optimum configurations. (paper)

  11. Optimization study on inductive-resistive circuit for broadband piezoelectric energy harvesters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ting Tan

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The performance of cantilever-beam piezoelectric energy harvester is usually analyzed with pure resistive circuit. The optimal performance of such a vibration-based energy harvesting system is limited by narrow bandwidth around its modified natural frequency. For broadband piezoelectric energy harvesting, series and parallel inductive-resistive circuits are introduced. The electromechanical coupled distributed parameter models for such systems under harmonic base excitations are decoupled with modified natural frequency and electrical damping to consider the coupling effect. Analytical solutions of the harvested power and tip displacement for the electromechanical decoupled model are confirmed with numerical solutions for the coupled model. The optimal performance of piezoelectric energy harvesting with inductive-resistive circuits is revealed theoretically as constant maximal power at any excitation frequency. This is achieved by the scenarios of matching the modified natural frequency with the excitation frequency and equating the electrical damping to the mechanical damping. The inductance and load resistance should be simultaneously tuned to their optimal values, which may not be applicable for very high electromechanical coupling systems when the excitation frequency is higher than their natural frequencies. With identical optimal performance, the series inductive-resistive circuit is recommended for relatively small load resistance, while the parallel inductive-resistive circuit is suggested for relatively large load resistance. This study provides a simplified optimization method for broadband piezoelectric energy harvesters with inductive-resistive circuits.

  12. Optimization study on inductive-resistive circuit for broadband piezoelectric energy harvesters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Ting; Yan, Zhimiao

    2017-03-01

    The performance of cantilever-beam piezoelectric energy harvester is usually analyzed with pure resistive circuit. The optimal performance of such a vibration-based energy harvesting system is limited by narrow bandwidth around its modified natural frequency. For broadband piezoelectric energy harvesting, series and parallel inductive-resistive circuits are introduced. The electromechanical coupled distributed parameter models for such systems under harmonic base excitations are decoupled with modified natural frequency and electrical damping to consider the coupling effect. Analytical solutions of the harvested power and tip displacement for the electromechanical decoupled model are confirmed with numerical solutions for the coupled model. The optimal performance of piezoelectric energy harvesting with inductive-resistive circuits is revealed theoretically as constant maximal power at any excitation frequency. This is achieved by the scenarios of matching the modified natural frequency with the excitation frequency and equating the electrical damping to the mechanical damping. The inductance and load resistance should be simultaneously tuned to their optimal values, which may not be applicable for very high electromechanical coupling systems when the excitation frequency is higher than their natural frequencies. With identical optimal performance, the series inductive-resistive circuit is recommended for relatively small load resistance, while the parallel inductive-resistive circuit is suggested for relatively large load resistance. This study provides a simplified optimization method for broadband piezoelectric energy harvesters with inductive-resistive circuits.

  13. Optimal design of robust piezoelectric microgrippers undergoing large displacements

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ruiz, D.; Sigmund, Ole

    2018-01-01

    Topology optimization combined with optimal design of electrodes is used to design piezoelectric microgrippers. Fabrication at micro-scale presents an important challenge: due to non-symmetrical lamination of the structures, out-of-plane bending spoils the behaviour of the grippers. Suppression...

  14. Design optimization of PVDF-based piezoelectric energy harvesters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jundong Song

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Energy harvesting is a promising technology that powers the electronic devices via scavenging the ambient energy. Piezoelectric energy harvesters have attracted considerable interest for their high conversion efficiency and easy fabrication in minimized sensors and transducers. To improve the output capability of energy harvesters, properties of piezoelectric materials is an influential factor, but the potential of the material is less likely to be fully exploited without an optimized configuration. In this paper, an optimization strategy for PVDF-based cantilever-type energy harvesters is proposed to achieve the highest output power density with the given frequency and acceleration of the vibration source. It is shown that the maximum power output density only depends on the maximum allowable stress of the beam and the working frequency of the device, and these two factors can be obtained by adjusting the geometry of piezoelectric layers. The strategy is validated by coupled finite-element-circuit simulation and a practical device. The fabricated device within a volume of 13.1 mm3 shows an output power of 112.8 μW which is comparable to that of the best-performing piezoceramic-based energy harvesters within the similar volume reported so far.

  15. Design, Modeling and Performance Optimization of a Novel Rotary Piezoelectric Motor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duong, Khanh A.; Garcia, Ephrahim

    1997-01-01

    This work has demonstrated a proof of concept for a torsional inchworm type motor. The prototype motor has shown that piezoelectric stack actuators can be used for rotary inchworm motor. The discrete linear motion of piezoelectric stacks can be converted into rotary stepping motion. The stacks with its high force and displacement output are suitable actuators for use in piezoelectric motor. The designed motor is capable of delivering high torque and speed. Critical issues involving the design and operation of piezoelectric motors were studied. The tolerance between the contact shoes and the rotor has proved to be very critical to the performance of the motor. Based on the prototype motor, a waveform optimization scheme was proposed and implemented to improve the performance of the motor. The motor was successfully modeled in MATLAB. The model closely represents the behavior of the prototype motor. Using the motor model, the input waveforms were successfully optimized to improve the performance of the motor in term of speed, torque, power and precision. These optimized waveforms drastically improve the speed of the motor at different frequencies and loading conditions experimentally. The optimized waveforms also increase the level of precision of the motor. The use of the optimized waveform is a break-away from the traditional use of sinusoidal and square waves as the driving signals. This waveform optimization scheme can be applied to any inchworm motors to improve their performance. The prototype motor in this dissertation as a proof of concept was designed to be robust and large. Future motor can be designed much smaller and more efficient with lessons learned from the prototype motor.

  16. Optimization of the piezoelectric response of 0–3 composites: a modeling approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chambion, B; Goujon, L; Badie, L; Mugnier, Y; Barthod, C; Galez, C; Wiebel, S; Venet, C

    2011-01-01

    Finite element modeling is used in this study to optimize the electromechanical behavior of 0–3 composites according to the material properties of their constituents. Our modeling approach considers an 'extended' 2D representative volume element (RVE) with randomly dispersed piezoelectric particles. A variable distribution of their polarization axes is also implemented because a full periodic arrangement of fillers and a unique poling orientation are unrealistic in practice. Comparisons with a simpler RVE and with an analytical model based on the Mori–Tanaka approach are performed as a function of the particle concentration for the elastic, dielectric and piezoelectric homogenized properties. An optimization of the piezoelectric response of 0–3 composites according to material considerations is then computed, allowing it to be shown that the piezoelectric strain coefficient is not the only relevant parameter and that lead-free piezoelectric fillers such as LiNbO 3 and ZnO are competitive alternatives. Finally, the piezoelectric responses of 0–3 composites with different filler arrangements are quantitatively compared to 1–3 composites and to the corresponding bulk material

  17. 1D Piezoelectric Material Based Nanogenerators: Methods, Materials and Property Optimization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xing; Sun, Mei; Wei, Xianlong; Shan, Chongxin; Chen, Qing

    2018-03-23

    Due to the enhanced piezoelectric properties, excellent mechanical properties and tunable electric properties, one-dimensional (1D) piezoelectric materials have shown their promising applications in nanogenerators (NG), sensors, actuators, electronic devices etc. To present a clear view about 1D piezoelectric materials, this review mainly focuses on the characterization and optimization of the piezoelectric properties of 1D nanomaterials, including semiconducting nanowires (NWs) with wurtzite and/or zinc blend phases, perovskite NWs and 1D polymers. Specifically, the piezoelectric coefficients, performance of single NW-based NG and structure-dependent electromechanical properties of 1D nanostructured materials can be respectively investigated through piezoresponse force microscopy, atomic force microscopy and the in-situ scanning/transmission electron microcopy. Along with the introduction of the mechanism and piezoelectric properties of 1D semiconductor, perovskite materials and polymers, their performance improvement strategies are summarized from the view of microstructures, including size-effect, crystal structure, orientation and defects. Finally, the extension of 1D piezoelectric materials in field effect transistors and optoelectronic devices are simply introduced.

  18. The design and fabrication of highly piezoelectric polymeric composites and their use in responsive devices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baur, Cary Allen

    In this work, novel approaches to the design of highly piezoelectric and flexible polymer composites were explored. Diverging from past work focused on the addition of piezoelectric particles into polymer matrices, this research explores the ability to increase the piezoelectric performance of a host polymer through the incorporation of charge via polarizable, organic particles. The ability to insert charge into polymers, known as electrets, is well documented but widely considered impractical because of the low lifetime and temperature resistance of the inserted charge. Through the addition of particles that are polarizable, charge can be inserted into a system in a stable manner that results in highly charged materials with long lifetimes. Here, carbon structures, such as Buckminsterfullerenes (C60) and single-walled nanotubes (SWNTs), were composited into poly(vinylidene difluoride) at very low loading levels (0.05-0.25 wt%), resulting in the ability to insert stable charge into the system. We show that these highly charged systems can result in a doubling of the piezoelectric response of the host polymer when optimized. The low amount of nanoparticle filler required to improve these materials allows for the advantageous properties of the polymer matrix such as flexibility and compliance to be preserved, enabling highly piezoelectric and flexible system. This dissertation outlines research efforts towards the design and fabrication of 1) polymer composites with high piezoelectric response, 2) piezoelectric composites with increased operating temperatures, 3) motion control devices that incorporate piezoelectric materials and shape memory polymers, and 4) artificial muscles with piezoelectric polymers. The piezoelectric polymer composites developed in this work have potential to be utilized as highly efficient, flexible energy harvesters that can be used to capture ambient energy from environmental vibrations and motion from the human body. As actuators, these

  19. Modeling and optimization of a novel two-axis mirror-scanning mechanism driven by piezoelectric actuators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jing, Zijian; Xu, Minglong; Feng, Bo

    2015-01-01

    Mirror-scanning mechanisms are a key component in optical systems for diverse applications. However, the applications of existing piezoelectric scanners are limited due to their small angular travels. To overcome this problem, a novel two-axis mirror-scanning mechanism, which consists of a two-axis tip-tilt flexure mechanism and a set of piezoelectric actuators, is proposed in this paper. The focus of this research is on the design, theoretical modeling, and optimization of the piezoelectric-driven mechanism, with the goal of achieving large angular travels in a compact size. The design of the two-axis tip-tilt flexure mechanism is based on two nonuniform beams, which translate the limited linear output displacements of the piezoelectric actuators into large output angles. To exactly predict the angular travels, we built a voltage-angle model that characterizes the relationship between the input voltages to the piezoelectric actuators and the output angles of the piezoelectric-driven mechanism. Using this analytical model, the optimization is performed to improve the angular travels. A prototype of the mirror-scanning mechanism is fabricated based on the optimization results, and experiments are implemented to test the two-axis output angles. The experimental result shows that the angular travels of the scanner achieve more than 50 mrad, and the error between the analytical model and the experiment is about 11%. This error is much smaller than the error for the model built using the previous method because the influence of the stiffness of the mechanical structure on the deformation of the piezoelectric stack is considered in the voltage-angle model. (paper)

  20. Anisotropic piezoelectric twist actuation of helicopter rotor blades: Aeroelastic analysis and design optimization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilkie, William Keats

    1997-12-01

    . Determining the optimum tradeoff between blade torsional stiffness and piezoelectric twist actuation authority is the subject of the third study. For this investigation, a linearized hovering-flight eigenvalue analysis is developed. Linear optimal control theory is then utilized to develop an optimum active twist blade design in terms of reducing structural energy and control effort cost. The forward flight vibratory loads characteristics of the torsional stiffness optimized active twist blade are then examined using the nonlinear, forward flight aeroelastic analysis. The optimized active twist rotor blade is shown to have improved passive and active vibratory loads characteristics relative to the baseline active twist blades.

  1. Optimization of a piezoelectric linear motor in terms of the contact parameters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ko, Hyun-Phill; Kim, Sangsig; Kang, Chong-Yun; Kim, Hyun-Jai; Yoon, Seok-Jin

    2005-01-01

    The contact kinetics of piezoelectric linear motors determines the operational characteristics like speed and torque or transmitted mechanical power and efficiency. Piezoelectric linear motors are driven by tangential stress in the interface between tip of shaking beam and slider. A good contact between the tip and slider is necessary for a reliable analysis of the motor, which is needed for the optimization of its performance. The piezoelectric linear motor was fabricated and the characteristics of the motor were investigated by external conditions such as tip shape with different curvatures and contact force between the tip and the slider. It was found in this investigation that the optimal curvature of the tip and the contact force are curvature of 1 and 10, respectively, for the high actuating speed, and curvature of 1 and 40 N, respectively, for the high actuating force. Finally, tip shape has an influence on the characteristics of linear motor

  2. Modal optimization and filtering in piezoelectric microplate resonators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sanchez-Rojas, J L; Hernando, J; Donoso, A; Bellido, J C; Manzaneque, T; Ababneh, A; Seidel, H; Schmid, U

    2010-01-01

    A systematic design procedure to tailor the modal response of micro-resonators based on flexible plates with piezoelectric films is demonstrated. Sensors/actuators were designed by optimizing the surface electrode shapes in the plane dimensions. A numerical finite element procedure, which considers the effective surface electrode covering the piezoelectric film as a binary function on each element, has been implemented. Two design goals are considered: (i) optimized response (actuation or sensing) in a given mode; (ii) implementation of a modal transducer by filtering specific modes. For a given mode in a plate with arbitrary boundary conditions, our calculations allowed us to predict the top electrode layout reaching higher displacement in resonance than any other electrode design for the same structure. Microcantilevers and microbridges were fabricated and their modal response characterized by laser Doppler vibrometry. In comparison to a conventional square-shaped electrode, our experiments show that the implemented designs can increase the response in any desired resonant mode and simultaneously attenuate the contributions from other unwanted modes, by simply shaping the surface electrodes. Enhancement ratios as high as 42 dB, relative to a full-size electrode case, are demonstrated. The limitations imposed by the fabrication are also discussed.

  3. Optimal Piezoelectric Actuators and Sensors Configuration for Vibration Suppression of Aircraft Framework Using Particle Swarm Algorithm

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Quanzhen Huang

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Numbers and locations of sensors and actuators play an important role in cost and control performance for active vibration control system of piezoelectric smart structure. This may lead to a diverse control system if sensors and actuators were not configured properly. An optimal location method of piezoelectric actuators and sensors is proposed in this paper based on particle swarm algorithm (PSA. Due to the complexity of the frame structure, it can be taken as a combination of many piezoelectric intelligent beams and L-type structures. Firstly, an optimal criterion of sensors and actuators is proposed with an optimal objective function. Secondly, each order natural frequency and modal strain are calculated and substituted into the optimal objective function. Preliminary optimal allocation is done using the particle swarm algorithm, based on the similar optimization method and the combination of the vibration stress and strain distribution at the lower modal frequency. Finally, the optimal location is given. An experimental platform was established and the experimental results indirectly verified the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method.

  4. Analysis on and Optimization of a Circular Piezoelectric Composite Laminate for a Micro-Pump Driver

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jia, Jianyuan; Wang, Weidong; Huang, Xinbo

    2002-01-01

    Among the various micro-pump actuation devices, piezoelectric composite laminate actuation has become an effective method. Due to lacking of analysis treatments, the design of this type micro-pump is in a great limitation. In this paper, an electromechanical-coupled mechanics model is established for the circle-flake micro-actuator. A kind of analysis and design method is presented that piezoelectric plate's radial strain induced by inverse piezoelectric effect is equivalently substituted with transverse stress on piezoelectric composite laminates. It is pointed out that the equivalent transverse load depends on the edge electric field distribution of parallel plate capacitor. The question has been solved that where the neutral plane in the piezoelectric composite laminates lies. Finally, an optimization design is developed on the radius ratio of piezoelectric-to-silicon plate radius by utilizing of FEA modeling

  5. Optimization of electrode geometry and piezoelectric layer thickness of a deformable mirror

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nováková Kateřina

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Deformable mirrors are the most commonly used wavefront correctors in adaptive optics systems. Nowadays, many applications of adaptive optics to astronomical telescopes, high power laser systems, and similar fast response optical devices require large diameter deformable mirrors with a fast response time and high actuator stroke. In order to satisfy such requirements, deformable mirrors based on piezoelectric layer composite structures have become a subject of intense scientific research during last two decades. In this paper, we present an optimization of several geometric parameters of a deformable mirror that consists of a nickel reflective layer deposited on top of a thin lead zirconate titanate (PZT piezoelectric disk. Honeycomb structure of gold electrodes is deposited on the bottom of the PZT layer. The analysis of the optimal thickness ratio between the PZT and nickel layers is performed to get the maximum actuator stroke using the finite element method. The effect of inter-electrode distance on the actuator stroke and influence function is investigated. Applicability and manufacturing issues are discussed.

  6. An optimal approach to active damping of nonlinear vibrations in composite plates using piezoelectric patches

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saviz, M R

    2015-01-01

    In this paper a nonlinear approach to studying the vibration characteristic of laminated composite plate with surface-bonded piezoelectric layer/patch is formulated, based on the Green Lagrange type of strain–displacements relations, by incorporating higher-order terms arising from nonlinear relations of kinematics into mathematical formulations. The equations of motion are obtained through the energy method, based on Lagrange equations and by using higher-order shear deformation theories with von Karman–type nonlinearities, so that transverse shear strains vanish at the top and bottom surfaces of the plate. An isoparametric finite element model is provided to model the nonlinear dynamics of the smart plate with piezoelectric layer/ patch. Different boundary conditions are investigated. Optimal locations of piezoelectric patches are found using a genetic algorithm to maximize spatial controllability/observability and considering the effect of residual modes to reduce spillover effect. Active attenuation of vibration of laminated composite plate is achieved through an optimal control law with inequality constraint, which is related to the maximum and minimum values of allowable voltage in the piezoelectric elements. To keep the voltages of actuator pairs in an allowable limit, the Pontryagin’s minimum principle is implemented in a system with multi-inequality constraint of control inputs. The results are compared with similar ones, proving the accuracy of the model especially for the structures undergoing large deformations. The convergence is studied and nonlinear frequencies are obtained for different thickness ratios. The structural coupling between plate and piezoelectric actuators is analyzed. Some examples with new features are presented, indicating that the piezo-patches significantly improve the damping characteristics of the plate for suppressing the geometrically nonlinear transient vibrations. (paper)

  7. The optimal location of piezoelectric actuators and sensors for vibration control of plates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, K. Ramesh; Narayanan, S.

    2007-12-01

    This paper considers the optimal placement of collocated piezoelectric actuator-sensor pairs on a thin plate using a model-based linear quadratic regulator (LQR) controller. LQR performance is taken as objective for finding the optimal location of sensor-actuator pairs. The problem is formulated using the finite element method (FEM) as multi-input-multi-output (MIMO) model control. The discrete optimal sensor and actuator location problem is formulated in the framework of a zero-one optimization problem. A genetic algorithm (GA) is used to solve the zero-one optimization problem. Different classical control strategies like direct proportional feedback, constant-gain negative velocity feedback and the LQR optimal control scheme are applied to study the control effectiveness.

  8. Optimal materials selection for bimaterial piezoelectric microactuators

    OpenAIRE

    Srinivasan, P.; Spearing, S.M.

    2008-01-01

    Piezoelectric actuation is one of the commonly employed actuation schemes in microsystems. This paper focuses on identifying and ranking promising active material/substrate combinations for bimaterial piezoelectric (BPE) microactuators based on their performance. The mechanics of BPE structures following simple beam theory assumptions available in the literature are applied to evolve critical performance metrics which govern the materials selection process. Contours of equal performance are p...

  9. Optimization of piezoelectric bimorph actuators with active damping for static and dynamic loads

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Donoso, Alberto; Sigmund, Ole

    2009-01-01

    The paper considers optimal design problems in the context of active damping. More specifically, we are interested in controlling the tip-deflection of a cantilever beam subjected to static and time-harmonic loading on its free extreme. First, the thickness profile of a piezoelectric bimorph...... actuator is optimized and second, the width profile. In the thickness study, formulation and results depend on whether the electric field or the applied voltage is kept constant. For the latter case we propose a differentiable model that connects electric field and piezo-actuator thickness to include...

  10. Optimal locations of piezoelectric patches for supersonic flutter control of honeycomb sandwich panels, using the NSGA-II method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nezami, M; Gholami, B

    2016-01-01

    The active flutter control of supersonic sandwich panels with regular honeycomb interlayers under impact load excitation is studied using piezoelectric patches. A non-dominated sorting-based multi-objective evolutionary algorithm, called non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II) is suggested to find the optimal locations for different numbers of piezoelectric actuator/sensor pairs. Quasi-steady first order supersonic piston theory is employed to define aerodynamic loading and the p-method is applied to find the flutter bounds. Hamilton’s principle in conjunction with the generalized Fourier expansions and Galerkin method are used to develop the dynamical model of the structural systems in the state-space domain. The classical Runge–Kutta time integration algorithm is then used to calculate the open-loop aeroelastic response of the system. The maximum flutter velocity and minimum voltage applied to actuators are calculated according to the optimal locations of piezoelectric patches obtained using the NSGA-II and then the proportional feedback is used to actively suppress the closed loop system response. Finally the control effects, using the two different controllers, are compared. (paper)

  11. Rare-Earth Calcium Oxyborate Piezoelectric Crystals ReCa4O(BO33: Growth and Piezoelectric Characterizations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fapeng Yu

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Rare-earth calcium oxyborate crystals, ReCa4O(BO33 (ReCOB, Re = Er, Y, Gd, Sm, Nd, Pr, and La , are potential piezoelectric materials for ultrahigh temperature sensor applications, due to their high electrical resistivity at elevated temperature, high piezoelectric sensitivity and temperature stability. In this paper, different techniques for ReCOB single-crystal growth are introduced, including the Bridgman and Czochralski pulling methods. Crystal orientations and the relationships between the crystallographic and physical axes of the monoclinic ReCOB crystals are discussed. The procedures for dielectric, elastic, electromechanical and piezoelectric property characterization, taking advantage of the impedance method, are presented. In addition, the maximum piezoelectric coefficients for different piezoelectric vibration modes are explored, and the optimized crystal cuts free of piezoelectric cross-talk are obtained by rotation calculations.

  12. On developing an optimal design procedure for a bimorph piezoelectric cantilever energy harvester under a predefined volume

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aboulfotoh, Noha; Twiefel, Jens

    2018-06-01

    A typical vibration harvester is tuned to operate at resonance in order to maximize the power output. There are many design parameter sets for tuning the harvester to a specific frequency, even for simple geometries. This work studies the impact of the geometrical parameters on the harvested power while keeping the resonance frequency constant in order to find the combination of the parameters that optimizes the power under a predefined volume. A bimorph piezoelectric cantilever is considered for the study. It consists of two piezoelectric layers and a middle non-piezoelectric layer and holds a tip mass. A theoretical model was derived to obtain the system parameters and the power as functions of the design parameters. Formulas for the optimal load resistance that provide maximum power capability at resonance and anti-resonance frequency were derived. The influence of the width on the power is studied, considering a constant mass ratio (between the tip mass and the mass of the beam). This keeps the resonance frequency constant while changing the width. The influence of the ratio between the thickness of the middle layer and that of the piezoelectric layer is also studied. It is assumed that the total thickness of the cantilever is constant and the middle layer has the same mechanical properties (elasticity and density) as the piezoelectric layer. This keeps the resonance frequency constant while changing the ratio between the thicknesses. Finally, the influence of increasing the free length as well as of increasing the mass ratio on the power is investigated. This is done by first, increasing each of them individually and secondly, by increasing each of them simultaneously while increasing the total thickness under the condition of maintaining a constant resonance frequency. Based on the analysis of these influences, recommendations as to how to maximize the geometrical parameters within the available volume and mass are presented.

  13. Characterization of Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting MEMS

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-12-01

    of previously fabricated MEMS piezoelectric energy harvesters and use the results to optimize an advanced finite element model to be used in...possibilities of using solar power and the piezoelectric effect to harvest energy [12]. The design goal was to develop an energy harvester with a resonant... The piezoelectric properties of AlN are also relatively constant over a wide range of temperatures [7]. AlN was further characterized

  14. Optimal Location of Piezoelectric Patch on Composite Structure using Viewing Method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samyal, Rahul; Bagha, Ashok K.

    2017-08-01

    A useful material which is manufactured by mixing of two or three different materials in homogeneous level is termed as composite material. In now day’s composite materials are used in wide area such as aerospace, automobiles, satellite, bullet proof jackets, rotor blades etc. In this paper modal analysis of composite material, mixture of polyester as matrix and glass as fiber, is carried out by using ABAQUS software. The modal analysis of composite material for fiber orientation 450 is carried out. In this paper by viewing the different mode shapes of the composite material, the optimal location of piezoelectric patch is carried out.

  15. Energy collection via Piezoelectricity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kumar, Ch Naveen

    2015-01-01

    In the present days, wireless data transmission techniques are commonly used in electronic devices. For powering them connection needs to be made to the power supply through wires else power may be supplied from batteries. Batteries require charging, replacement and other maintenance efforts. So, some alternative methods need to be developed to keep the batteries full time charged and to avoid the need of any consumable external energy source to charge the batteries. Mechanical energy harvesting utilizes piezoelectric components where deformations produced by different means are directly converted to electrical charge via piezoelectric effect. The proposed work in this research recommends Piezoelectricity as a alternate energy source. The motive is to obtain a pollution-free energy source and to utilize and optimize the energy being wasted. Current work also illustrates the working principle of piezoelectric crystal and various sources of vibration for the crystal. (paper)

  16. Parametric Study and Optimization of a Piezoelectric Energy Harvester from Flow Induced Vibration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ashok, P.; Jawahar Chandra, C.; Neeraj, P.; Santhosh, B.

    2018-02-01

    Self-powered systems have become the need of the hour and several devices and techniques were proposed in favour of this crisis. Among the various sources, vibrations, being the most practical scenario, is chosen in the present study to investigate for the possibility of harvesting energy. Various methods were devised to trap the energy generated by vibrating bodies, which would otherwise be wasted. One such concept is termed as flow-induced vibration which involves the flow of a fluid across a bluff body that oscillates due to a phenomenon known as vortex shedding. These oscillations can be converted into electrical energy by the use of piezoelectric patches. A two degree of freedom system containing a cylinder as the primary mass and a cantilever beam as the secondary mass attached with a piezoelectric circuit, was considered to model the problem. Three wake oscillator models were studied in order to determine the one which can generate results with high accuracy. It was found that Facchinetti model produced better results than the other two and hence a parametric study was performed to determine the favourable range of the controllable variables of the system. A fitness function was formulated and optimization of the selected parameters was done using genetic algorithm. The parametric optimization led to a considerable improvement in the harvested voltage from the system owing to the high displacement of secondary mass.

  17. Genetic Optimization and Simulation of a Piezoelectric Pipe-Crawling Inspection Robot

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hollinger, Geoffrey A.; Briscoe, Jeri M.

    2004-01-01

    Using the DarwinZk development software, a genetic algorithm (GA) was used to design and optimize a pipe-crawling robot for parameters such as mass, power consumption, and joint extension to further the research of the Miniature Inspection Systems Technology (MIST) team. In an attempt to improve on existing designs, a new robot was developed, the piezo robot. The final proposed design uses piezoelectric expansion actuators to move the robot with a 'chimneying' method employed by mountain climbers and greatly improves on previous designs in load bearing ability, pipe traversing specifications, and field usability. This research shows the advantages of GA assisted design in the field of robotics.

  18. Optimal configuration of microstructure in ferroelectric materials by stochastic optimization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jayachandran, K. P.; Guedes, J. M.; Rodrigues, H. C.

    2010-07-01

    An optimization procedure determining the ideal configuration at the microstructural level of ferroelectric (FE) materials is applied to maximize piezoelectricity. Piezoelectricity in ceramic FEs differs significantly from that of single crystals because of the presence of crystallites (grains) possessing crystallographic axes aligned imperfectly. The piezoelectric properties of a polycrystalline (ceramic) FE is inextricably related to the grain orientation distribution (texture). The set of combination of variables, known as solution space, which dictates the texture of a ceramic is unlimited and hence the choice of the optimal solution which maximizes the piezoelectricity is complicated. Thus, a stochastic global optimization combined with homogenization is employed for the identification of the optimal granular configuration of the FE ceramic microstructure with optimum piezoelectric properties. The macroscopic equilibrium piezoelectric properties of polycrystalline FE is calculated using mathematical homogenization at each iteration step. The configuration of grains characterized by its orientations at each iteration is generated using a randomly selected set of orientation distribution parameters. The optimization procedure applied to the single crystalline phase compares well with the experimental data. Apparent enhancement of piezoelectric coefficient d33 is observed in an optimally oriented BaTiO3 single crystal. Based on the good agreement of results with the published data in single crystals, we proceed to apply the methodology in polycrystals. A configuration of crystallites, simultaneously constraining the orientation distribution of the c-axis (polar axis) while incorporating ab-plane randomness, which would multiply the overall piezoelectricity in ceramic BaTiO3 is also identified. The orientation distribution of the c-axes is found to be a narrow Gaussian distribution centered around 45°. The piezoelectric coefficient in such a ceramic is found to

  19. High Temperature, High Power Piezoelectric Composite Transducers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Hyeong Jae; Zhang, Shujun; Bar-Cohen, Yoseph; Sherrit, StewarT.

    2014-01-01

    Piezoelectric composites are a class of functional materials consisting of piezoelectric active materials and non-piezoelectric passive polymers, mechanically attached together to form different connectivities. These composites have several advantages compared to conventional piezoelectric ceramics and polymers, including improved electromechanical properties, mechanical flexibility and the ability to tailor properties by using several different connectivity patterns. These advantages have led to the improvement of overall transducer performance, such as transducer sensitivity and bandwidth, resulting in rapid implementation of piezoelectric composites in medical imaging ultrasounds and other acoustic transducers. Recently, new piezoelectric composite transducers have been developed with optimized composite components that have improved thermal stability and mechanical quality factors, making them promising candidates for high temperature, high power transducer applications, such as therapeutic ultrasound, high power ultrasonic wirebonding, high temperature non-destructive testing, and downhole energy harvesting. This paper will present recent developments of piezoelectric composite technology for high temperature and high power applications. The concerns and limitations of using piezoelectric composites will also be discussed, and the expected future research directions will be outlined. PMID:25111242

  20. Piezoelectric effects in biomaterials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zimmerman, R.L.

    1976-03-01

    Precision methods have been developed for the simultaneous measurement of the complex piezoelectric stress constants and the electric conduction and polarization currents. Samples of Collagen, keratin, and chitin are prepared and measured in such a way to optimize the determination of the position and orientation of the electric dipole moments. The temperature and the hydration state of the samples are varied during the measurement of the piezoelectric constants in an effort to understand the role of water in biological material. Above 40 0 C, the inherent piezolectricity is enhanced by the water of hydration, in contrast to the more easily understood reduction observed at lower temperatures. Gelatin, which has no inherent piezoelectricity, displays a piezoelectricity proportional to the currents of conduction and polarization. An analysis of the new effect shows that it is a measure of the variation of the resistivity with deformation (d rho/dS - rho) in the same way that the electric field induced piezoelectricity is a measure of the variation of the dielectric constant with deformation (dk/dS + k). Both are sensitive to electric dipole relaxation effects. (Author) [pt

  1. Piezoelectric actuation of helicopter rotor blades

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lieven, Nicholas A. J.

    2001-07-01

    The work presented in this paper is concerned with the application of embedded piezo-electric actuators in model helicopter rotor blades. The paper outlines techniques to define the optimal location of actuators to excite particular modes of vibration whilst the blade is rotating. Using composite blades the distribution of strain energy is defined using a Finite Element model with imposed rotor-dynamic and aerodynamics loads. The loads are specified through strip theory to determine the position of maximum bending moment and thus the optimal location of the embedded actuators. The effectiveness of the technique is demonstrated on a 1/4 scale fixed cyclic pitch rotor head. Measurement of the blade displacement is achieved by using strain gauges. In addition a redundant piezo-electric actuator is used to measure the blades' response characteristics. The addition of piezo-electric devices in this application has been shown to exhibit adverse aeroelastic effects, such as counter mass balancing and increased drag. Methods to minimise these effects are suggested. The outcome of the paper is a method for defining the location and orientation of piezo-electric devices in rotor-dynamic applications.

  2. Numerical Analysis and Optimization on Piezoelectric Properties of 0–3 Type Piezoelectric Cement-Based Materials with Interdigitated Electrodes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jianlin Luo

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The health conditions of complicated concrete structures require intrinsic cement-based sensors with a fast sensing response and high accuracy. In this paper, static, modal, harmonic, and transient dynamic analyses for the 0–3 type piezoelectric cement-based material with interdigitated electrodes (IEPCM wafer were investigated using the ANSYS finite element numerical approach. Optimal design of the IEPCM was further implemented with electrode distance (P, electrode width (W, and wafer density (H as the main parameters. Analysis results show that the maximum stress and strain in the x-polarization direction of the IEPCM are 2.6 and 3.19 times higher than that in the y-direction, respectively; there exists no repetition frequency phenomenon for the IEPCM. These indicate 0–3 type IEPCM possesses good orthotropic features, and lateral driving capacity notwithstanding, a hysteresis effect exists. Allowing for the wafer width (Wp of 1 mm, the optimal design of the IEPCM wafer arrives at the best physical values of H, W and P are 6.2, 0.73 and 1.02 mm respectively, whereas the corresponding optimal volume is 10.9 mm3.

  3. Electrode-shaping for the excitation and detection of permitted arbitrary modes in arbitrary geometries in piezoelectric resonators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pulskamp, Jeffrey S; Bedair, Sarah S; Polcawich, Ronald G; Smith, Gabriel L; Martin, Joel; Power, Brian; Bhave, Sunil A

    2012-05-01

    This paper reports theoretical analysis and experimental results on a numerical electrode shaping design technique that permits the excitation of arbitrary modes in arbitrary geometries for piezoelectric resonators, for those modes permitted to exist by the nonzero piezoelectric coefficients and electrode configuration. The technique directly determines optimal electrode shapes by assessing the local suitability of excitation and detection electrode placement on two-port resonators without the need for iterative numerical techniques. The technique is demonstrated in 61 different electrode designs in lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin film on silicon RF micro electro-mechanical system (MEMS) plate, beam, ring, and disc resonators for out-of-plane flexural and various contour modes up to 200 MHz. The average squared effective electromechanical coupling factor for the designs was 0.54%, approximately equivalent to the theoretical maximum value of 0.53% for a fully electroded length-extensional mode beam resonator comprised of the same composite. The average improvement in S(21) for the electrode-shaped designs was 14.6 dB with a maximum improvement of 44.3 dB. Through this piezoelectric electrodeshaping technique, 95% of the designs showed a reduction in insertion loss.

  4. Hysteresis compensation of the Prandtl-Ishlinskii model for piezoelectric actuators using modified particle swarm optimization with chaotic map.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Long, Zhili; Wang, Rui; Fang, Jiwen; Dai, Xufei; Li, Zuohua

    2017-07-01

    Piezoelectric actuators invariably exhibit hysteresis nonlinearities that tend to become significant under the open-loop condition and could cause oscillations and errors in nanometer-positioning tasks. Chaotic map modified particle swarm optimization (MPSO) is proposed and implemented to identify the Prandtl-Ishlinskii model for piezoelectric actuators. Hysteresis compensation is attained through application of an inverse Prandtl-Ishlinskii model, in which the parameters are formulated based on the original model with chaotic map MPSO. To strengthen the diversity and improve the searching ergodicity of the swarm, an initial method of adaptive inertia weight based on a chaotic map is proposed. To compare and prove that the swarm's convergence occurs before stochastic initialization and to attain an optimal particle swarm optimization algorithm, the parameters of a proportional-integral-derivative controller are searched using self-tuning, and the simulated results are used to verify the search effectiveness of chaotic map MPSO. The results show that chaotic map MPSO is superior to its competitors for identifying the Prandtl-Ishlinskii model and that the inverse Prandtl-Ishlinskii model can provide hysteresis compensation under different conditions in a simple and effective manner.

  5. Tubular fluoropolymer arrays with high piezoelectric response

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhukov, Sergey; Eder-Goy, Dagmar; Biethan, Corinna; Fedosov, Sergey; Xu, Bai-Xiang; von Seggern, Heinz

    2018-01-01

    Polymers with electrically charged internal air cavities called ferroelectrets exhibit a pronounced piezoelectric effect and are regarded as soft functional materials suitable for sensor and actuator applications. In this work, a simple method for fabricating piezoelectret arrays with open-tubular channels is introduced. A set of individual fluoroethylenepropylene (FEP) tubes is compressed between two heated metal plates. The squeezed FEP tubes are melted together at +270 °C. The resulting structure is a uniform, multi-tubular, flat array that reveals a strong piezoelectric response after a poling step. The fabricated arrays have a high ratio between piezoelectrically active and non-active areas. The optimal charging voltage and stability of the piezoelectric coefficients with pressures and frequency were experimentally investigated for two specific array structures with wall thickness of 50 and 120 μm. The array fabricated from 50 μm thick FEP tubes reveals a stable and high piezoelectric coefficient of {d}33 = 120-160 pC N-1 with a flat frequency response between 0.1 Hz and 10 kHz for pressures between 1 and 100 kPa. An increase of wall thickness to 120 μm is accompanied by a more than twofold decrease in the piezoelectric coefficient as a result of a simultaneously higher effective array stiffness and lower remanent polarization. The obtained experimental results can be used to optimize the array design with regard to the electromechanical performance.

  6. Alternative method for predicting optimal insertion depth of the laryngeal tube in children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, J T; Jeon, S Y; Kim, C S; Kim, S D; Kim, H S

    2007-11-01

    Little information is available about the accuracy of the teeth mark on the laryngeal tube (LT) as a guide to correct placement in children. The aim of this crossover study was to evaluate three methods for optimal insertion depth of the size (#) 2 tube in children weighing 12-25 kg. In 24 children, the LT #2 was consecutively inserted by three different methods: (A) until the thick teeth mark on the tube was aligned with the upper incisors, (B) until resistance was felt, and (C) by inserting to a depth, previously measured, of the curved distance between the cricoid cartilage and the upper incisor. In each case, the depth of insertion, the degree of effective ventilation, the presence of leakage, and the fibreoptic view were assessed. Insertion based on the teeth mark led to a shorter insertion depth and a greater incidence of inadequate ventilation compared with the other two methods. There was no difference in the adequacy of ventilation between methods B and C. The vocal cords were more easily identified with methods B (62.5%) and C (75%) than with method A (12.5%). Insertion of the LT #2 aligned with the teeth mark can result in a shallow insertion depth and inadequate ventilation. The measured distance from the cricoid cartilage to the upper incisor offers alternative guidance for correct LT insertion.

  7. Design, Manufacturing and Characterization of Functionally Graded Flextensional Piezoelectric Actuators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Amigo, R C R; Vatanabe, S L; Silva, E C N

    2013-01-01

    Previous works have been shown several advantages in using Functionally Graded Materials (FGMs) for the performance of flextensional devices, such as reduction of stress concentrations and gains in reliability. In this work, the FGM concept is explored in the design of graded devices by using the Topology Optimization Method (TOM), in order to determine optimal topologies and gradations of the coupled structures of piezoactuators. The graded pieces are manufactured by using the Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) technique and are bonded to piezoelectric ceramics. The graded actuators are then tested by using a modular vibrometer system for measuring output displacements, in order to validate the numerical simulations. The technological path developed here represents the initial step toward the manufacturing of an integral piezoelectric device, constituted by piezoelectric and non-piezoelectric materials without bonding layers.

  8. Modelling piezoelectric energy harvesting potential in an educational building

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Xiaofeng; Strezov, Vladimir

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Energy harvesting potential of commercialized piezoelectric tiles is analyzed. • The parameters which will affect the energy harvesting efficiency are determined. • The potential could cover 0.5% of the total energy usage of the library building. • A simplified evaluation indicator is proposed to test the considered paving area. - Abstract: In this paper, potential application of a commercial piezoelectric energy harvester in a central hub building at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia is examined and discussed. Optimization of the piezoelectric tile deployment is presented according to the frequency of pedestrian mobility and a model is developed where 3.1% of the total floor area with the highest pedestrian mobility is paved with piezoelectric tiles. The modelling results indicate that the total annual energy harvesting potential for the proposed optimized tile pavement model is estimated at 1.1 MW h/year. This potential energy generation may be further increased to 9.9 MW h/year with a possible improvement in piezoelectric energy conversion efficiency integrated into the system. This energy harvesting potential would be sufficient to meet close to 0.5% of the annual energy needs of the building. The study confirms that locating high traffic areas is critical for optimization of the energy harvesting efficiency, as well as the orientation of the tile pavement significantly affects the total amount of the harvested energy. A Density Flow evaluation is recommended in this study to qualitatively evaluate the piezoelectric power harvesting potential of the considered area based on the number of pedestrian crossings per unit time

  9. Low-temperature DC-contact piezoelectric switch operable in high magnetic fields

    CERN Document Server

    Kaltenbacher, T; Doser, M; Kellerbauer, A; Pribyl, W

    2013-01-01

    A piezoelectric single-pole single-throw (SPST) switch has been developed, since there is no satisfying commercial low-resistance, high current DC-contact RF switch available which is operable at 4.2K and in a high magnetic field of at least 0.5T. This piezoelectric switch shows very low insertion loss of less than -0.1dB within a bandwidth of 100MHz when operated at 4.2K. The switch could also be used to mechanically disconnect and connect electrodes or electrical circuits from one another.

  10. Low-temperature DC-contact piezoelectric switch operable in high magnetic fields

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kaltenbacher, Thomas, E-mail: thomas.kaltenbacher@cern.ch [Physics and Accelerator Departments, CERN, 1211 Geneva 23 (Switzerland); Institute of Electronics, Graz University of Technology, Inffeldgasse 12, 8010 Graz (Austria); Caspers, Fritz; Doser, Michael [Physics and Accelerator Departments, CERN, 1211 Geneva 23 (Switzerland); Kellerbauer, Alban [Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics, Saupfercheckweg 1, 69117 Heidelberg (Germany); Pribyl, Wolfgang [Institute of Electronics, Graz University of Technology, Inffeldgasse 12, 8010 Graz (Austria)

    2013-11-21

    A piezoelectric single-pole single-throw (SPST) switch has been developed, since there is no satisfying commercial low-resistance, high current DC-contact RF switch available which is operable at 4.2 K and in a high magnetic field of at least 0.5 T. This piezoelectric switch shows very low insertion loss of less than −0.1 dB within a bandwidth of 100 MHz when operated at 4.2 K. The switch could also be used to mechanically disconnect and connect electrodes or electrical circuits from one another.

  11. Energy harvesting from low frequency applications using piezoelectric materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Huidong; Tian, Chuan; Deng, Z. Daniel

    2014-01-01

    In an effort to eliminate the replacement of the batteries of electronic devices that are difficult or impractical to service once deployed, harvesting energy from mechanical vibrations or impacts using piezoelectric materials has been researched over the last several decades. However, a majority of these applications have very low input frequencies. This presents a challenge for the researchers to optimize the energy output of piezoelectric energy harvesters, due to the relatively high elastic moduli of piezoelectric materials used to date. This paper reviews the current state of research on piezoelectric energy harvesting devices for low frequency (0–100 Hz) applications and the methods that have been developed to improve the power outputs of the piezoelectric energy harvesters. Various key aspects that contribute to the overall performance of a piezoelectric energy harvester are discussed, including geometries of the piezoelectric element, types of piezoelectric material used, techniques employed to match the resonance frequency of the piezoelectric element to input frequency of the host structure, and electronic circuits specifically designed for energy harvesters

  12. Nano-Scale Positioning Design with Piezoelectric Materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yung Yue Chen

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Piezoelectric materials naturally possess high potential to deliver nano-scale positioning resolution; hence, they are adopted in a variety of engineering applications widely. Unfortunately, unacceptable positioning errors always appear because of the natural hysteresis effect of the piezoelectric materials. This natural property must be mitigated in practical applications. For solving this drawback, a nonlinear positioning design is proposed in this article. This nonlinear positioning design of piezoelectric materials is realized by the following four steps: 1. The famous Bouc–Wen model is utilized to present the input and output behaviors of piezoelectric materials; 2. System parameters of the Bouc–Wen model that describe the characteristics of piezoelectric materials are simultaneously identified with the particle swam optimization method; 3. Stability verification for the identified Bouc–Wen model; 4. A nonlinear feedback linearization control design is derived for the nano-scale positioning design of the piezoelectric material, mathematically. One important contribution of this investigation is that the positioning error between the output displacement of the controlled piezoelectric materials and the desired trajectory in nano-scale level can be proven to converge to zero asymptotically, under the effect of the hysteresis.

  13. Parameterized Analysis of Zero Voltage Switching in Resonant Converters for Optimal Electrode Layout of Piezoelectric Transformers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Meyer, Kaspar Sinding; Andersen, Michael Andreas E.; Jensen, Flemming

    2008-01-01

    Ring shaped PTs (Piezoelectric Transformers) are an attractive alternative to magnetics in power converters. The achievable energy efficiency is 98% and the power density is up to 30W/cm3. Additionally power supplies based on PTs display low levels of conducted and radiated EMI due to power...... conversion based on the piezoelectric effect. Rooted in the physics of this effect, both the in- and output terminal of a PT has a noticeable parasitic capacitance. In a common half-bridge power stage without any supporting magnetic components, the input parasitic capacitance can lead to hard switching...... losses that are in the range of the actual power rating of a specific PT. In this paper it is demonstrated how the electrode layout of a PT can be designed to enable ZVS (Zero Voltage Switching). This optimization is made simple with a novel set of accurate and simple symbolic equations which relates ZVS...

  14. Cantilever piezoelectric energy harvester with multiple cavities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    S Srinivasulu Raju; M Umapathy; G Uma

    2015-01-01

    Energy harvesting employing piezoelectric materials in mechanical structures such as cantilever beams, plates, diaphragms, etc, has been an emerging area of research in recent years. The research in this area is also focused on structural tailoring to improve the harvested power from the energy harvesters. Towards this aim, this paper presents a method for improving the harvested power from a cantilever piezoelectric energy harvester by introducing multiple rectangular cavities. A generalized model for a piezoelectric energy harvester with multiple rectangular cavities at a single section and two sections is developed. A method is suggested to optimize the thickness of the cavities and the number of cavities required to generate a higher output voltage for a given cantilever beam structure. The performance of the optimized energy harvesters is evaluated analytically and through experimentation. The simulation and experimental results show that the performance of the energy harvester can be increased with multiple cavities compared to the harvester with a single cavity. (paper)

  15. Piezoelectric energy harvesting through shear mode operation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Malakooti, Mohammad H; Sodano, Henry A

    2015-01-01

    Piezoelectric materials are excellent candidates for use in energy harvesting applications due to their high electromechanical coupling properties that enable them to convert input mechanical energy into useful electric power. The electromechanical coupling coefficient of the piezoelectric material is one of the most significant parameters affecting energy conversion and is dependent on the piezoelectric mode of operation. In most piezoceramics, the d 15 piezoelectric shear coefficient is the highest coefficient compared to the commonly used axial and transverse modes that utilize the d 33 and the d 31 piezoelectric strain coefficients. However, complicated electroding methods and challenges in evaluating the performance of energy harvesting devices operating in the shear mode have slowed research in this area. The shear deformation of a piezoelectric layer can be induced in a vibrating sandwich beam with a piezoelectric core. Here, a model based on Timoshenko beam theory is developed to predict the electric power output from a cantilever piezoelectric sandwich beam under base excitations. It is shown that the energy harvester operating in the shear mode is able to generate ∼50% more power compared to the transverse mode for a numerical case study. Reduced models of both shear and transverse energy harvesters are obtained to determine the optimal load resistance in the system and perform an efficiency comparison between two models with fixed and adaptive resistances. (paper)

  16. Design of fixed frequency controlled radial-mode stacked disk-type piezoelectric transformers for DC/DC converter applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Yuan-Ping; Vasic, Dejan; Costa, François; Wu, Wen-Jong; Lee, Chih-Kung

    2009-01-01

    In this paper, we propose a new design procedure to determine the optimal size of a piezoelectric transformer (PT) for DC/DC converter applications. We examined several parameters, which allows us to produce a piezoelectric transformer with optimal efficiency and which has an optimal range for regulating voltage. The characteristics of a piezoelectric transformer (PT) are well known when the load impedance is a pure resistor. However, when piezoelectric transformers are used in AC/DC or DC/DC converter applications, it requires the presence of a rectifier circuit block. A rectifier is usually a nonlinear device which does not act like a pure resistor. We began by modeling a full-wave rectifier directly in order to understand the design constraint variables such as the maximum mechanical current, the piezoelectric transformer configuration, and the energy balance of the PT configuration. In our final design, a stacked disk-type piezoelectric transformer with radial-mode vibration was chosen due to the large number of design parameters required. In our new design procedure, instead of just looking at the typical optimal loading condition of the PT, we used the concept of a maximum mechanical current to determine the new optimal efficiency which is suitable for voltage regulation. From our results we found that the size of the piezoelectric transformer and efficiency are trade-offs which means that they have an inverse relationship. In summary, we developed a new design procedure to determine the optimal size of a piezoelectric transformer, which we found to be small but with high efficiency so as to provide an optimal range for regulating voltage

  17. Low-energy impact of adaptive cylindrical piezoelectric-composite shells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Saravanos, D.A. [University of Patras (United Kingdom). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering and Aeronautics; Christoforou, A.P. [Kuwait Univ. (Kuwait). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

    2002-04-01

    A theoretical framework for analyzing low-energy impacts of laminated shells with active and sensory piezoelectric layers is presented, including impactor dynamics and contact law. The formulation encompasses a coupled piezoelectric shell theory mixing first order shear displacement assumptions and layerwise variation of electric potential. An exact in-plane Ritz solution for the impact of open cylindrical piezoelectric-composite shells is developed and solved numerically using an explicit time integration scheme. The active impact control problem of adaptive cylindrical shells with distributed curved piezoelectric actuators is addressed. The cases of optimized state feedback controllers and output feedback controllers using piezoelectric sensors are analyzed. Numerical results quantify the impact response of cylindrical shells of various curvatures including the signal of curved piezoelectric sensors. Additional numerical studies quantify the impact response of adaptive cylindrical panels and investigate the feasibility of actively reducing the impact force. (author)

  18. Optimization of Phase Change Memory with Thin Metal Inserted Layer on Material Properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harnsoongnoen, Sanchai; Sa-Ngiamsak, Chiranut; Siritaratiwat, Apirat

    This works reports, for the first time, the thorough study and optimisation of Phase Change Memory (PCM) structure with thin metal inserted chalcogenide via electrical resistivity (ρ) using finite element modeling. PCM is one of the best candidates for next generation non-volatile memory. It has received much attention recently due to its fast write speed, non-destructive readout, superb scalability, and great compatibility with current silicon-based mass fabrication. The setback of PCM is a high reset current typically higher than 1mA based on 180nm lithography. To reduce the reset current and to solve the over-programming failure, PCM with thin metal inserted chalcogenide (bottom chalcogenide/metal inserted/top chalcogenide) structure has been proposed. Nevertheless, reports on optimisation of the electrical resistivity using the finite element method for this new PCM structure have never been published. This work aims to minimize the reset current of this PCM structure by optimizing the level of the electrical resistivity of the PCM profile using the finite element approach. This work clearly shows that PCM characteristics are strongly affected by the electrical resistivity. The 2-D simulation results reveal clearly that the best thermal transfer of and self-joule-heating at the bottom chalcogenide layer can be achieved under conditions; ρ_bottom chalcogenide > ρ_metal inserted > ρ_top chalcogenide More specifically, the optimized electrical resistivity of PCMTMI is attained with ρ_top chalcogenide: ρ_metal inserted: ρ_bottom chalcogenide ratio of 1:6:16 when ρ_top chalcogenide is 10-3 Ωm. In conclusion, high energy efficiency can be obtained with the reset current as low as 0.3mA and with high speed operation of less than 30ns.

  19. Nonlinear Optimal Tracking Control of a Piezoelectric Nanopositioning Stage

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Oates, William S; Smith, Ralph C

    2006-01-01

    ... over relatively large displacements and a broad frequency range. Piezoelectric materials, which are typically employed in nanopositioning stages, provide excellent position control when driven at relatively low frequency and low field levels...

  20. Finite element analysis of vibration energy harvesting using lead-free piezoelectric materials: A comparative study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anuruddh Kumar

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available In this article, the performance of various piezoelectric materials is simulated for the unimorph cantilever-type piezoelectric energy harvester. The finite element method (FEM is used to model the piezolaminated unimorph cantilever structure. The first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT and linear piezoelectric theory are implemented in finite element simulations. The genetic algorithm (GA optimization approach is carried out to optimize the structural parameters of mechanical energy-based energy harvester for maximum power density and power output. The numerical simulation demonstrates the performance of lead-free piezoelectric materials in unimorph cantilever-based energy harvester. The lead-free piezoelectric material K0.5Na0.5NbO3-LiSbO3-CaTiO3 (2 wt.% has demonstrated maximum mean power and maximum mean power density for piezoelectric energy harvester in the ambient frequency range of 90–110 Hz. Overall, the lead-free piezoelectric materials of K0.5Na0.5NbO3-LiSbO3 (KNN-LS family have shown better performance than the conventional lead-based piezoelectric material lead zirconate titanate (PZT in the context of piezoelectric energy harvesting devices.

  1. A New Approach to Identify Optimal Properties of Shunting Elements for Maximum Damping of Structural Vibration Using Piezoelectric Patches

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Junhong; Palumbo, Daniel L.

    2004-01-01

    The use of shunted piezoelectric patches in reducing vibration and sound radiation of structures has several advantages over passive viscoelastic elements, e.g., lower weight with increased controllability. The performance of the piezoelectric patches depends on the shunting electronics that are designed to dissipate vibration energy through a resistive element. In past efforts most of the proposed tuning methods were based on modal properties of the structure. In these cases, the tuning applies only to one mode of interest and maximum tuning is limited to invariant points when based on den Hartog's invariant points concept. In this study, a design method based on the wave propagation approach is proposed. Optimal tuning is investigated depending on the dynamic and geometric properties that include effects from boundary conditions and position of the shunted piezoelectric patch relative to the structure. Active filters are proposed as shunting electronics to implement the tuning criteria. The developed tuning methods resulted in superior capabilities in minimizing structural vibration and noise radiation compared to other tuning methods. The tuned circuits are relatively insensitive to changes in modal properties and boundary conditions, and can applied to frequency ranges in which multiple modes have effects.

  2. Multilayer modal actuator-based piezoelectric transformers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Yao-Tien; Wu, Wen-Jong; Wang, Yen-Chieh; Lee, Chih-Kung

    2007-02-01

    An innovative, multilayer piezoelectric transformer equipped with a full modal filtering input electrode is reported herein. This modal-shaped electrode, based on the orthogonal property of structural vibration modes, is characterized by full modal filtering to ensure that only the desired vibration mode is excited during operation. The newly developed piezoelectric transformer is comprised of three layers: a multilayered input layer, an insulation layer, and a single output layer. The electrode shape of the input layer is derived from its structural vibration modal shape, which takes advantage of the orthogonal property of the vibration modes to achieve a full modal filtering effect. The insulation layer possesses two functions: first, to couple the mechanical vibration energy between the input and output, and second, to provide electrical insulation between the two layers. To meet the two functions, a low temperature, co-fired ceramic (LTCC) was used to provide the high mechanical rigidity and high electrical insulation. It can be shown that this newly developed piezoelectric transformer has the advantage of possessing a more efficient energy transfer and a wider optimal working frequency range when compared to traditional piezoelectric transformers. A multilayer piezoelectric, transformer-based inverter applicable for use in LCD monitors or portable displays is presented as well.

  3. MORPH INSERTION AND ALLOMORPHY IN OPTIMALITY THEORY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eulalia Bonet

    2004-12-01

    Full Text Available The goal of this paper is to compare two different hypotheses about the insertion of morphs and allomorphy in Optimality Theory. One of them, the Morphs through Constraifits Hypothesis (MCH claims that the phonological realization of morphemes (morphs is introduced through language-particular constraints. The other hypothesis, the Morphs in the Input Hypothesis (MIH claims that the inputs to GEN contain al1 the relevant phonological information. It is shown that the MIH is clearly superior to the MCH in accounting for voicing neutralization in languages like Catalan. The two hypotheses seem to fare even in dealing with other phenomena, such as phonologically-conditioned allomorphy or OCP-triggered epenthesis vs. haplology in English possessives and plurals. Finally, although the MCH seems to be a simpler hypothesis for lexical exceptions, it is shown that, when certain aspects are taken into account, it runs into problems.

  4. Piezoelectric materials involved in road traffic applications test system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vazquez Rodriguez, M.; Jimenez Martinez, F.; Frutos, J. de

    2011-01-01

    The test bench system described in this paper performs experiments on piezoelectric materials used in road traffic applications, covering a range between 14 and 170 km/h, which is considered enough for testing under standard traffic conditions. A software has been developed to control the three phase induction motor driver and to acquire all the measurement data of the piezoelectric materials. The mass over each systems axis can be selected, with a limit of 60 kg over each wheel. The test bench is used to simulate the real behaviour of buried piezoelectric cables in road traffic applications for both light and heavy vehicles. This new test bed system is a powerful research tool and can be applied to determine the optimal installation and configuration of the piezoelectric cable sensors and opens a new field of research: the study of energy harvesting techniques based on piezoelectric materials. (Author) 10 refs.

  5. Preparation and piezoelectric properties of (K0.5Na0.5)NbO3 lead-free piezoelectric ceramics with pressure-less sintering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Du Hongliang; Li Zhimin; Tang Fusheng; Qu Shaobo; Pei Zhibin; Zhou Wancheng

    2006-01-01

    Lead-free piezoelectric ceramics (K 0.5 Na 0.5 )NbO 3 (abbreviated as KNN) with the relative density of 97.6% have been synthesized by press-less sintering owing to the careful control of processing conditions. The phase structure of KNN ceramics with different sintering temperature and heating rate was analyzed. Results show that the pure perovskite phase with orthorhombic symmetry is in all ceramics specimens. The effect of heating rate and sintering temperature on microstructure and piezoelectric properties of KNN ceramics was investigated. The densification behavior and piezoelectric properties of KNN ceramics were enhanced by improving heating rate and sintering temperature. Pure KNN ceramics sintered at 1120 deg. C with heating rate of 5 deg. C/min showed optimized densification and piezoelectric properties (ρ = 4.4 g/cm 3 , d 33 = 120 pC/N -1 , k p = 0.40 and T c = 400 deg. C). The results show that KNN is a promising candidate for lead-free piezoelectric ceramics

  6. Finite Element Based Design and Optimization for Piezoelectric Accelerometers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Liu, Bin; Kriegbaum, B.; Yao, Q.

    1998-01-01

    A systematic Finite Element design and optimisation procedure is implemented for the development of piezoelectric accelerometers. Most of the specifications of accelerometers can be obtained using the Finite Element simulations. The deviations between the simulated and calibrated sensitivities...

  7. Circuit for Driving Piezoelectric Transducers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Randall, David P.; Chapsky, Jacob

    2009-01-01

    The figure schematically depicts an oscillator circuit for driving a piezoelectric transducer to excite vibrations in a mechanical structure. The circuit was designed and built to satisfy application-specific requirements to drive a selected one of 16 such transducers at a regulated amplitude and frequency chosen to optimize the amount of work performed by the transducer and to compensate for both (1) temporal variations of the resonance frequency and damping time of each transducer and (2) initially unknown differences among the resonance frequencies and damping times of different transducers. In other words, the circuit is designed to adjust itself to optimize the performance of whichever transducer is selected at any given time. The basic design concept may be adaptable to other applications that involve the use of piezoelectric transducers in ultrasonic cleaners and other apparatuses in which high-frequency mechanical drives are utilized. This circuit includes three resistor-capacitor networks that, together with the selected piezoelectric transducer, constitute a band-pass filter having a peak response at a frequency of about 2 kHz, which is approximately the resonance frequency of the piezoelectric transducers. Gain for generating oscillations is provided by a power hybrid operational amplifier (U1). A junction field-effect transistor (Q1) in combination with a resistor (R4) is used as a voltage-variable resistor to control the magnitude of the oscillation. The voltage-variable resistor is part of a feedback control loop: Part of the output of the oscillator is rectified and filtered for use as a slow negative feedback to the gate of Q1 to keep the output amplitude constant. The response of this control loop is much slower than 2 kHz and, therefore, does not introduce significant distortion of the oscillator output, which is a fairly clean sine wave. The positive AC feedback needed to sustain oscillations is derived from sampling the current through the

  8. Effect of garment design on piezoelectricity harvesting from joint movement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Jin-Hee; Cho, Hyun-Seung; Park, Seon-Hyung; Song, Seung-Hwan; Yun, Kwang-Seok; Lee, Joo Hyeon

    2016-01-01

    The harvesting of piezoelectricity through the human body involves the conversion of mechanical energy, mostly generated by the repeated movements of the body, to electrical energy, irrespective of the time and location. In this research, it was expected that the garment design would play an important role in increasing the efficiency of piezoelectricity scavenged in a garment because the mechanical deformation imposed on the energy harvester could increase through an optimal design configuration for the garment parts supporting a piezoelectricity harvester. With this expectation, this research aimed to analyze the effect of the clothing factors, and that of human factors on the efficiency of piezoelectricity harvesting through clothing in joint movements. These analyses resulted in that the efficiency of the piezoelectricity harvesting was affected from both two clothing factors, tightness level depending upon the property of the textile material and design configuration of the garment part supporting the piezoelectricity harvesting. Among the three proposed designs of the garment part supporting the piezoelectricity harvesting, ‘reinforced 3D module design,’ which maximized the value of radius in the piezoelectricity harvester, showed the highest efficiency across all areas of the joints in the human body. The two human factors, frequency of movement and body part, affected the efficiency of the piezoelectricity harvesting as well. (paper)

  9. Comparative Assessment of Cutting Inserts and Optimization during Hard Turning: Taguchi-Based Grey Relational Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Venkata Subbaiah, K.; Raju, Ch.; Suresh, Ch.

    2017-08-01

    The present study aims to compare the conventional cutting inserts with wiper cutting inserts during the hard turning of AISI 4340 steel at different workpiece hardness. Type of insert, hardness, cutting speed, feed, and depth of cut are taken as process parameters. Taguchi’s L18 orthogonal array was used to conduct the experimental tests. Parametric analysis carried in order to know the influence of each process parameter on the three important Surface Roughness Characteristics (Ra, Rz, and Rt) and Material Removal Rate. Taguchi based Grey Relational Analysis (GRA) used to optimize the process parameters for individual response and multi-response outputs. Additionally, the analysis of variance (ANOVA) is also applied to identify the most significant factor.

  10. Fundamental analysis of piezocatalysis process on the surfaces of strained piezoelectric materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Starr, Matthew B; Wang, Xudong

    2013-01-01

    Recently, the strain state of a piezoelectric electrode has been found to impact the electrochemical activity taking place between the piezoelectric material and its solution environment. This effect, dubbed piezocatalysis, is prominent in piezoelectric materials because the strain state and electronic state of these materials are strongly coupled. Herein we develop a general theoretical analysis of the piezocatalysis process utilizing well-established piezoelectric, semiconductor, molecular orbital and electrochemistry frameworks. The analysis shows good agreement with experimental results, reproducing the time-dependent voltage drop and H₂ production behaviors of an oscillating piezoelectric Pb(Mg₁/₃Nb₂/₃)O₃-32PbTiO₃ (PMN-PT) cantilever in deionized water environment. This study provides general guidance for future experiments utilizing different piezoelectric materials, such as ZnO, BaTiO₃, PbTiO₃, and PMN-PT. Our analysis indicates a high piezoelectric coupling coefficient and a low electrical conductivity are desired for enabling high electrochemical activity; whereas electrical permittivity must be optimized to balance piezoelectric and capacitive effects.

  11. Swarm intelligence algorithms for integrated optimization of piezoelectric actuator and sensor placement and feedback gains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dutta, Rajdeep; Ganguli, Ranjan; Mani, V

    2011-01-01

    Swarm intelligence algorithms are applied for optimal control of flexible smart structures bonded with piezoelectric actuators and sensors. The optimal locations of actuators/sensors and feedback gain are obtained by maximizing the energy dissipated by the feedback control system. We provide a mathematical proof that this system is uncontrollable if the actuators and sensors are placed at the nodal points of the mode shapes. The optimal locations of actuators/sensors and feedback gain represent a constrained non-linear optimization problem. This problem is converted to an unconstrained optimization problem by using penalty functions. Two swarm intelligence algorithms, namely, Artificial bee colony (ABC) and glowworm swarm optimization (GSO) algorithms, are considered to obtain the optimal solution. In earlier published research, a cantilever beam with one and two collocated actuator(s)/sensor(s) was considered and the numerical results were obtained by using genetic algorithm and gradient based optimization methods. We consider the same problem and present the results obtained by using the swarm intelligence algorithms ABC and GSO. An extension of this cantilever beam problem with five collocated actuators/sensors is considered and the numerical results obtained by using the ABC and GSO algorithms are presented. The effect of increasing the number of design variables (locations of actuators and sensors and gain) on the optimization process is investigated. It is shown that the ABC and GSO algorithms are robust and are good choices for the optimization of smart structures

  12. Optimizing the Synthesis of Alumina Inserts Using Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ariff, T. F.; Azhar, A. Z.; Sariff, M. N.; Rasid, S. N.; Zahari, S. Z.; Bahar, R.; Karim, M.; Nurul Amin, AKM

    2018-01-01

    Alumina or Aluminium Oxide (Al2O3) is well known for its high strength and hardness. Its low heat retention and low specific heat characteristics make it attractive to be used widely as a cutting tool for grinding, milling and turning processes. Various synthesis methods have been used for the purpose of enhancing the properties of the alumina inserts. However, the optimization process using Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) has not been performed. This research aims in finding the optimum parameters in synthesizing the alumina inserts (98Al2O3 1.6ZrO2 0.4MgO, 93Al2O3 6.4ZrO2 0.6MgO and 85Al2O3 14.5ZrO2 0.5MgO) using HIP at different temperatures (1200, 1250 and 1300°C) and sintering time (10, 30 and 60 minutes). Hardness, density, shrinkage and microstructure using SEM were analysed. The optimum sintering condition for the alumina insert was found in 98Al2O3 1.6ZrO2 0.4MgO sintered at 1300°C for 60 minutes for it exhibited the highest values of hardness (1917HV), density (3.95g/cm3), shrinkage (9.6%).

  13. Piezoelectric Actuator with Frequency Characteristics for a Middle-Ear Implant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shin, Dong Ho; Cho, Jin-Ho

    2018-05-24

    The design and implementation of a novel piezoelectric-based actuator for an implantable middle-ear hearing aid is described in this paper. The proposed actuator has excellent low-frequency output characteristics, and can generate high output in a specific frequency band by adjusting the mechanical resonance. The actuator consists of a piezoelectric element, a miniature bellows, a cantilever membrane, a metal ring support, a ceramic tip, and titanium housing. The optimal structure of the cantilever-membrane design, which determines the frequency characteristics of the piezoelectric actuator, was derived through finite element analysis. Based on the results, the piezoelectric actuator was implemented, and its performance was verified through a cadaveric experiment. It was confirmed that the proposed actuator provides better performance than currently used actuators, in terms of frequency characteristics.

  14. Piezoelectric valve

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petrenko, Serhiy Fedorovich

    2013-01-15

    A motorized valve has a housing having an inlet and an outlet to be connected to a pipeline, a saddle connected with the housing, a turn plug having a rod, the turn plug cooperating with the saddle, and a drive for turning the valve body and formed as a piezoelectric drive, the piezoelectric drive including a piezoelectric generator of radially directed standing acoustic waves, which is connected with the housing and is connectable with a pulse current source, and a rotor operatively connected with the piezoelectric generator and kinematically connected with the rod of the turn plug so as to turn the turn plug when the rotor is actuated by the piezoelectric generator.

  15. Progress in engineering high strain lead-free piezoelectric ceramics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leontsev, Serhiy O; Eitel, Richard E

    2010-01-01

    Environmental concerns are strongly driving the need to replace the lead-based piezoelectric materials currently employed as multilayer actuators. The current review describes both compositional and structural engineering approaches to achieve enhanced piezoelectric properties in lead-free materials. The review of the compositional engineering approach focuses on compositional tuning of the properties and phase behavior in three promising families of lead-free perovskite ferroelectrics: the titanate, alkaline niobate and bismuth perovskites and their solid solutions. The 'structural engineering' approaches focus instead on optimization of microstructural features including grain size, grain orientation or texture, ferroelectric domain size and electrical bias field as potential paths to induce large piezoelectric properties in lead-free piezoceramics. It is suggested that a combination of both compositional and novel structural engineering approaches will be required in order to realize viable lead-free alternatives to current lead-based materials for piezoelectric actuator applications. (topical review)

  16. Progress in engineering high strain lead-free piezoelectric ceramics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leontsev, Serhiy O; Eitel, Richard E

    2010-01-01

    Environmental concerns are strongly driving the need to replace the lead-based piezoelectric materials currently employed as multilayer actuators. The current review describes both compositional and structural engineering approaches to achieve enhanced piezoelectric properties in lead-free materials. The review of the compositional engineering approach focuses on compositional tuning of the properties and phase behavior in three promising families of lead-free perovskite ferroelectrics: the titanate, alkaline niobate and bismuth perovskites and their solid solutions. The ‘structural engineering’ approaches focus instead on optimization of microstructural features including grain size, grain orientation or texture, ferroelectric domain size and electrical bias field as potential paths to induce large piezoelectric properties in lead-free piezoceramics. It is suggested that a combination of both compositional and novel structural engineering approaches will be required in order to realize viable lead-free alternatives to current lead-based materials for piezoelectric actuator applications. PMID:27877343

  17. A piezoelectric device for impact energy harvesting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jacquelin, E; Adhikari, S; Friswell, M I

    2011-01-01

    This paper studies a piezoelectric impact energy harvesting device consisting of two piezoelectric beams and a seismic mass. The aim of this work is to find the influence of several mechanical design parameters on the output power of such a harvester so as to optimize its performance; the electrical design parameters were not studied. To account for the dynamics of the beams, a model including the mechanical and piezoelectric properties of the system is proposed. The impacts involved in the energy harvesting process are described through a Hertzian contact law that requires a time domain simulation to solve the nonlinear equations. A transient regime and a steady-state regime have been identified and the performance of the device is characterized by the steady-state mean electrical power and the transient electrical power. The time simulations have been used to study the influence of various mechanical design parameters (seismic mass, beam length, gap, gliding length, impact location) on the performance of the system. It has been shown that the impact location is an important parameter and may be optimized only through simulation. The models and the simulation technique used in this work are general and may be used to assess any other impact energy harvesting device

  18. Reliable Piezoelectricity in Bilayer WSe2 for Piezoelectric Nanogenerators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Ju-Hyuck; Park, Jae Young; Cho, Eun Bi; Kim, Tae Yun; Han, Sang A; Kim, Tae-Ho; Liu, Yanan; Kim, Sung Kyun; Roh, Chang Jae; Yoon, Hong-Joon; Ryu, Hanjun; Seung, Wanchul; Lee, Jong Seok; Lee, Jaichan; Kim, Sang-Woo

    2017-08-01

    Recently, piezoelectricity has been observed in 2D atomically thin materials, such as hexagonal-boron nitride, graphene, and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs). Specifically, exfoliated monolayer MoS 2 exhibits a high piezoelectricity that is comparable to that of traditional piezoelectric materials. However, monolayer TMD materials are not regarded as suitable for actual piezoelectric devices due to their insufficient mechanical durability for sustained operation while Bernal-stacked bilayer TMD materials lose noncentrosymmetry and consequently piezoelectricity. Here, it is shown that WSe 2 bilayers fabricated via turbostratic stacking have reliable piezoelectric properties that cannot be obtained from a mechanically exfoliated WSe 2 bilayer with Bernal stacking. Turbostratic stacking refers to the transfer of each chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-grown WSe 2 monolayer to allow for an increase in degrees of freedom in the bilayer symmetry, leading to noncentrosymmetry in the bilayers. In contrast, CVD-grown WSe 2 bilayers exhibit very weak piezoelectricity because of the energetics and crystallographic orientation. The flexible piezoelectric WSe 2 bilayers exhibit a prominent mechanical durability of up to 0.95% of strain as well as reliable energy harvesting performance, which is adequate to drive a small liquid crystal display without external energy sources, in contrast to monolayer WSe 2 for which the device performance becomes degraded above a strain of 0.63%. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  19. Analytical model for nonlinear piezoelectric energy harvesting devices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Neiss, S; Goldschmidtboeing, F; M Kroener; Woias, P

    2014-01-01

    In this work we propose analytical expressions for the jump-up and jump-down point of a nonlinear piezoelectric energy harvester. In addition, analytical expressions for the maximum power output at optimal resistive load and the 3 dB-bandwidth are derived. So far, only numerical models have been used to describe the physics of a piezoelectric energy harvester. However, this approach is not suitable to quickly evaluate different geometrical designs or piezoelectric materials in the harvester design process. In addition, the analytical expressions could be used to predict the jump-frequencies of a harvester during operation. In combination with a tuning mechanism, this would allow the design of an efficient control algorithm to ensure that the harvester is always working on the oscillator's high energy attractor. (paper)

  20. Modeling and analysis on ring-type piezoelectric transformers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ho, Shine-Tzong

    2007-11-01

    This paper presents an electromechanical model for a ring-type piezoelectric transformer (PT). To establish this model, vibration characteristics of the piezoelectric ring with free boundary conditions are analyzed in advance. Based on the vibration analysis of the piezoelectric ring, the operating frequency and vibration mode of the PT are chosen. Then, electromechanical equations of motion for the PT are derived based on Hamilton's principle, which can be used to simulate the coupled electromechanical system for the transformer. Such as voltage stepup ratio, input impedance, output impedance, input power, output power, and efficiency are calculated by the equations. The optimal load resistance and the maximum efficiency for the PT will be presented in this paper. Experiments also were conducted to verify the theoretical analysis, and a good agreement was obtained.

  1. Piezoelectric transduction of flexural modes in pre-stressed microbeam resonators

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Torri, G.B.; Janssen, N.M.A.; Zeng, Z.; Rottenberg, X.; Karabacak, D.M.; Vandecasteele, M.; Hoof, C.V.; Puers, R.; Tilmans, H.A.C.

    2014-01-01

    This paper reports on the optimization of the design of piezoelectric transducer elements integrated on doubly-clamped microbeam resonators utilized as (bio)chemical sensors. We report and emphasize the often forgotten influence of membrane stresses on defining the dimensions and optimal position of

  2. BaTiO3-based piezoelectrics: Fundamentals, current status, and perspectives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Acosta, M.; Novak, N.; Rojas, V.; Patel, S.; Vaish, R.; Koruza, J.; Rossetti, G. A.; Rödel, J.

    2017-12-01

    We present a critical review that encompasses the fundamentals and state-of-the-art knowledge of barium titanate-based piezoelectrics. First, the essential crystallography, thermodynamic relations, and concepts necessary to understand piezoelectricity and ferroelectricity in barium titanate are discussed. Strategies to optimize piezoelectric properties through microstructure control and chemical modification are also introduced. Thereafter, we systematically review the synthesis, microstructure, and phase diagrams of barium titanate-based piezoelectrics and provide a detailed compilation of their functional and mechanical properties. The most salient materials treated include the (Ba,Ca)(Zr,Ti)O3, (Ba,Ca)(Sn,Ti)O3, and (Ba,Ca)(Hf,Ti)O3 solid solution systems. The technological relevance of barium titanate-based piezoelectrics is also discussed and some potential market indicators are outlined. Finally, perspectives on productive lines of future research and promising areas for the applications of these materials are presented.

  3. Piezoelectric properties and thermal stabilities of cobalt-modified potassium bismuth titanate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guo, Zhen-Lei; Wang, Chun-Ming; Zhao, Tian-Long; Yu, Si-Long; Cao, Zhao-Peng

    2013-01-01

    The cobalt-modified potassium bismuth titanate (K 0.5 Bi 4.5 Ti 4 O 15 , KBT) piezoelectric ceramics have been prepared using conventional solid–state reaction. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the cobalt-modified KBT ceramics have a pure four-layer (m = 4) Aurivillius-type structure. The dielectric, ferroelectric, and piezoelectric properties of cobalt-modified KBT ceramics were investigated in detail. The piezoelectric activities of KBT ceramics were significantly improved by the cobalt modification. The reasons for piezoelectric activities enhancement with cobalt modification were given. The piezoelectric coefficient d 33 and Curie temperature T c for the 5 mol% cobalt-modified KBT ceramics (KBT-Co5) were found to be 28 pC/N and 575 °C, respectively. The DC resistivity, frequency constants (N p and N t ), and electromechanical properties at elevated temperature were investigated, indicating the cobalt-modified KBT piezoelectric ceramics possess stable piezoelectric properties up to 500 °C. The results show the cobalt-modified KBT ceramics are potential materials for high temperature piezoelectric applications. - Highlights: • We examine the piezoelectric properties of the cobalt-modified K 0.5 Bi 4.5 Ti 4 O 15 . • A high level of piezoelectric activities (d 33 = 28 pC/N) are obtained. • High Curie temperature (T c = 575 °C) is acquired for the optimal composition. • The Co-modified K 0.5 Bi 4.5 Ti 4 O 15 is promising as high temperature materials

  4. Application of Dielectric, Ferroelectric and Piezoelectric Thin Film Devices in Mobile Communication and Medical Systems

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Klee, M.; Beelen, D.; Keurl, W.; Kiewitt, R.; Kumar, B.; Mauczok, R.; Reimann, K.; Renders, Ch.; Roest, A.; Roozeboom, F.; Steeneken, P.G.; Tiggelman, M.P.J.; Vanhelmont, F.; Wunnicke, O.; Lok, P.; Neumann, K.; Fraser, J.; Schmitz, G.

    2007-01-01

    Dielectric, ferroelectric and piezoelectric thin films are getting more and more attention for next generation mobile communication and medical systems. Thin film technologies based on dielectric, ferroelectric and piezoelectric thin films enable System-in-Package (SiP) devices, resulting in optimal

  5. High power Co3O4/ZnO p–n type piezoelectric transducer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hu, Yuh-Chung; Lee, Tsung-Han; Chang, Pei-Zen; Su, Pei-Chen

    2015-01-01

    Enhancing the output power of piezoelectric transducer is essential in order to supply sufficient and sustainable power to wireless sensor nodes or electronic devices. In this work, a Co 3 O 4 /ZnO p–n type power piezoelectric transducer which can be operated at low frequencies has been developed by utilizing n-type semiconducting zinc oxide (ZnO) and p-type semiconducting tricobalt tetroxide (Co 3 O 4 ). We utilize ZnO to be the piezoelectric transducer and build a multi-layer (Au/Co 3 O 4 /ZnO/Ti) thin film structure. The ZnO thin film with preferred orientation along the (002) plane was deposited under optimized deposition conditions on the flexible titanium (Ti) foil with thickness of 80 μm. The Co 3 O 4 /ZnO interface forms a p–n junction and increases the difference in Fermi levels between the two electrodes, resulting in the great enhancement of output power. The measured output power of the p–n type piezoelectric transducer with optimal resistance of 100 kΩ is 10.4 μW at low operating frequency of 37 Hz, which is 10.9 times of output power of ZnO piezoelectric transducers. - Highlights: • Deposited zinc oxide performed good piezoelectric coefficient. • ZnO thin film with preferred orientation along the (002) plane was deposited. • A p–n type piezoelectric transducer with enhanced output power was fabricated. • 10.9 times increment in output power was obtained. • Increase of difference in Fermi level and p–n junction formation was explained

  6. Research on Effective Electric-Mechanical Coupling Coefficient of Sandwich Type Piezoelectric Ultrasonic Transducer Using Bending Vibration Mode

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qiang Zhang

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available An analytical model on electromechanical coupling coefficient and the length optimization of a bending piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer are proposed. The piezoelectric transducer consists of 8 PZT elements sandwiched between four thin electrodes, and the PZT elements are clamped by a screwed connection between fore beam and back beam. Firstly, bending vibration model of the piezoelectric transducer is built based on the Timoshenko beam theory. Secondly, the analytical model of effective electromechanical coupling coefficient is built based on the bending vibration model. Energy method and electromechanical equivalent circuit method are involved in the modelling process. To validate the analytical model, sandwich type piezoelectric transducer example in second order bending vibration mode is analysed. Effective electromechanical coupling coefficient of the transducer is optimized with simplex reflection technique, and the optimized ratio of length of the transducers is obtained. Finally, experimental prototypes of the sandwich type piezoelectric transducers are fabricated. Bending vibration mode and impedance of the experimental prototypes are tested, and electromechanical coupling coefficient is obtained according to the testing results. Results show that the analytical model is in good agreement with the experimental model.

  7. Ceramic piezoelectric materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaszuwara, W.

    2004-01-01

    Ceramic piezoelectric materials conert reversibility electric energy into mechanical energy. In the presence of electric field piezoelectric materials exhibit deformations up to 0.15% (for single crystals up to 1.7%). The deformation energy is in the range of 10 2 - 10 3 J/m 3 and working frequency can reach 10 5 Hz. Ceramic piezoelectric materials find applications in many modern disciplines such as: automatics, micromanipulation, measuring techniques, medical diagnostics and many others. Among the variety of ceramic piezoelectric materials the most important appear to be ferroelectric materials such as lead zirconate titanate so called PZT ceramics. Ceramic piezoelectric materials can be processed by methods widely applied for standard ceramics, i.e. starting from simple precursors e.g. oxides. Application of sol-gel method has also been reported. Substantial drawback for many applications of piezoelectric ceramics is their brittleness, thus much effort is currently being put in the development of piezoelectric composite materials. Other important research directions in the field of ceramic piezoelectric materials composite development of lead free materials, which can exhibit properties similar to the PZT ceramics. Among other directions one has to state processing of single crystals and materials having texture or gradient structure. (author)

  8. Effects of Proof Mass Geometry on Piezoelectric Vibration Energy Harvesters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdul Hafiz Alameh

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Piezoelectric energy harvesters have proven to have the potential to be a power source in a wide range of applications. As the harvester dimensions scale down, the resonance frequencies of these devices increase drastically. Proof masses are essential in micro-scale devices in order to decrease the resonance frequency and increase the strain along the beam to increase the output power. In this work, the effects of proof mass geometry on piezoelectric energy harvesters are studied. Different geometrical dimension ratios have significant impact on the resonance frequency, e.g., beam to mass lengths, and beam to mass widths. A piezoelectric energy harvester has been fabricated and tested operating at a frequency of about 4 kHz within the audible range. The responses of various prototypes were studied, and an optimized T-shaped piezoelectric vibration energy harvester design is presented for improved performance.

  9. A low frequency piezoelectric power harvester using a spiral-shaped bimorph

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    HU; Yuantai; HU; Hongping; YANG; Jiashi

    2006-01-01

    We propose a spiral-shaped piezoelectric bimorph power harvester operating with coupled flexural and extensional vibration modes for applications to low frequency energy sources.A theoretical analysis is performed and the computational results show that the spiral structure has relatively low operating frequency compared to beam power harvesters of the same size.It is found that to optimize the performance of a piezoelectric spiral-shaped harvester careful design is needed.

  10. Ultrahigh Piezoelectric Properties in Textured (K,Na)NbO3 -Based Lead-Free Ceramics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Peng; Zhai, Jiwei; Shen, Bo; Zhang, Shujun; Li, Xiaolong; Zhu, Fangyuan; Zhang, Xingmin

    2018-02-01

    High-performance lead-free piezoelectric materials are in great demand for next-generation electronic devices to meet the requirement of environmentally sustainable society. Here, ultrahigh piezoelectric properties with piezoelectric coefficients (d 33 ≈700 pC N -1 , d 33 * ≈980 pm V -1 ) and planar electromechanical coupling factor (k p ≈76%) are achieved in highly textured (K,Na)NbO 3 (KNN)-based ceramics. The excellent piezoelectric properties can be explained by the strong anisotropic feature, optimized engineered domain configuration in the textured ceramics, and facilitated polarization rotation induced by the intermediate phase. In addition, the nanodomain structures with decreased domain wall energy and increased domain wall mobility also contribute to the ultrahigh piezoelectric properties. This work not only demonstrates the tremendous potential of KNN-based ceramics to replace lead-based piezoelectrics but also provides a good strategy to design high-performance piezoelectrics by controlling appropriate phase and crystallographic orientation. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  11. Theoretical modeling and experimental validation of a torsional piezoelectric vibration energy harvesting system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qian, Feng; Zhou, Wanlu; Kaluvan, Suresh; Zhang, Haifeng; Zuo, Lei

    2018-04-01

    Vibration energy harvesting has been extensively studied in recent years to explore a continuous power source for sensor networks and low-power electronics. Torsional vibration widely exists in mechanical engineering; however, it has not yet been well exploited for energy harvesting. This paper presents a theoretical model and an experimental validation of a torsional vibration energy harvesting system comprised of a shaft and a shear mode piezoelectric transducer. The piezoelectric transducer position on the surface of the shaft is parameterized by two variables that are optimized to obtain the maximum power output. The piezoelectric transducer can work in d 15 mode (pure shear mode), coupled mode of d 31 and d 33, and coupled mode of d 33, d 31 and d 15, respectively, when attached at different angles. Approximate expressions of voltage and power are derived from the theoretical model, which gave predictions in good agreement with analytical solutions. Physical interpretations on the implicit relationship between the power output and the position parameters of the piezoelectric transducer is given based on the derived approximate expression. The optimal position and angle of the piezoelectric transducer is determined, in which case, the transducer works in the coupled mode of d 15, d 31 and d 33.

  12. Effect of poling process on piezoelectric properties of BCZT - 0.08 wt.% CeO{sub 2} lead-free ceramics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chandrakala, E.; Praveen, J. Paul; Das, Dibakar, E-mail: ddse@uohyd.ernet.in [School of Engineering Sciences & Technology, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad 500046 (India)

    2016-05-06

    The properties of lead free piezoelectric materials can be tuned by suitable doping in the A and B sites of the perovskite structure. In the present study, cerium has been identified as a dopant to investigate the piezoelectric properties of lead-free BCZT system. BCZT – 0.08 wt.%CeO{sub 2} lead-free ceramics have been synthesized using sol-gel technique and the effects of CeO{sub 2} dopant on their phase structure and piezoelectric properties were investigated systematically. Poling conditions, such as temperature, electric field, and poling time have been optimized to get enhanced piezoelectric response. The optimized poling conditions (50°C, 3Ec and 30min) resulted in high piezoelectric charge coefficient d{sub 33} ~ 670pC/N, high electromechanical coupling coefficient k{sub p} ~ 60% and piezoelectric voltage coefficient g{sub 33} ~ 14 mV.m/N for BCZT – 0.08wt.% CeO{sub 2} ceramics.

  13. Data Insertion in Bitcoin's Blockchain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrew Sward

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available This paper provides the first comprehensive survey of methods for inserting arbitrary data into Bitcoin’s blockchain. Historical methods of data insertion are described, along with lesser-known techniques that are optimized for efficiency. Insertion methods are compared on the basis of efficiency, cost, convenience of data reconstruction, permanence, and potentially negative impact on the Bitcoin ecosystem.

  14. Various aspects of the placement of a piezoelectric material in composite actuators, motors, and transducers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lierke, Ernst Gunter; Littmann, Walter; Morita, Takeshi; Hemsel, Tobias

    2010-01-01

    Piezoelectric materials have found wide applications in technical systems. Most often, a combination of piezoelectric and other materials is advantageous. The position and the amount of the piezoelectric material within the overall system depends on various aspects, such as the maximum mechanical output to the load, the maximum electromechanical efficiency of the system, the maximum utilization of the piezoelectric material, the minimum self-heating of the piezoelectric material, and the controllability of the system, which might be key aspects for the optimization of the system design. For a composite longitudinal vibrator (bolted Langevin transducer), which is a base for many technical applications, this contribution shows in detail, how the above-mentioned aspects depend on the position and the volume of the piezoelectric material related to the mode shape.

  15. Piezoelectric cantilever sensors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shih, Wan Y. (Inventor); Shih, Wei-Heng (Inventor); Shen, Zuyan (Inventor)

    2008-01-01

    A piezoelectric cantilever with a non-piezoelectric, or piezoelectric tip useful as mass and viscosity sensors. The change in the cantilever mass can be accurately quantified by monitoring a resonance frequency shift of the cantilever. For bio-detection, antibodies or other specific receptors of target antigens may be immobilized on the cantilever surface, preferably on the non-piezoelectric tip. For chemical detection, high surface-area selective absorbent materials are coated on the cantilever tip. Binding of the target antigens or analytes to the cantilever surface increases the cantilever mass. Detection of target antigens or analytes is achieved by monitoring the cantilever's resonance frequency and determining the resonance frequency shift that is due to the mass of the adsorbed target antigens on the cantilever surface. The use of a piezoelectric unimorph cantilever allows both electrical actuation and electrical sensing. Incorporating a non-piezoelectric tip (14) enhances the sensitivity of the sensor. In addition, the piezoelectric cantilever can withstand damping in highly viscous liquids and can be used as a viscosity sensor in wide viscosity range.

  16. Design, Modeling and Optimization of a Piezoelectric Pressure Sensor based on a Thin-Film PZT Membrane Containing Nanocrystalline Powders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vahid MOHAMMADI

    2009-11-01

    Full Text Available In this paper fabrication of a 0-3 ceramic/ceramic composite lead zirconate titanate, Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48O3 thin film has been presented and then a pressure sensor based on multilayer thin-film PZT diaphragm contain of Lead Zirconate Titanate nanocrystalline powders was designed, modeled and optimized. Dynamics characteristics of this multilayer diaphragm have been investigated by ANSYS® FE software. By this simulation the effective parameters of the multilayer PZT diaphragm for improving the performance of a pressure sensor in different ranges of pressure are optimized. The optimized thickness ratio of PZT layer to SiO2 was given in the paper to obtain the maximum deflection of the multilayer thin-film PZT diaphragm. A 0-3 ceramic/ceramic composite lead zirconate titanate, Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48O3 film has been developed to fabricate the pressure sensor by a hybrid sol gel process. PZT nanopowders fabricated via conventional sol gel method and uniformly dispersed in PZT precursor solution by an attrition mill. XRD analysis shows that perovskite structure would be formed due to the presence of a significant amount of ceramic nanopowders. This texture has a good effect on piezoelectric properties of perovskite structure. The film forms a strongly bonded network and less shrinkage occurs, so the films do not crack during process. Also the aspect ratio through this process would be increased. SEM micrographs indicated that PZT films were uniform, crack free and have a composite microstructure and a piezoelectric coefficient d31 of -40 pC.N-1 and d33 ranged from 50pm.N-1 to 60pm.N-1.

  17. Piezoelectric Motors, an Overview

    OpenAIRE

    Karl Spanner; Burhanettin Koc

    2016-01-01

    Piezoelectric motors are used in many industrial and commercial applications. Various piezoelectric motors are available in the market. All of the piezoelectric motors use the inverse piezoelectric effect, where microscopically small oscillatory motions are converted into continuous or stepping rotary or linear motions. Methods of obtaining long moving distance have various drive and functional principles that make these motors categorized into three groups: resonance-drive (piezoelectric ult...

  18. Piezoelectrical Structural Sensor Technology for Extreme Environments (> 1800 F), Phase I

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — High temperature piezoelectric crystal (HTP) sensors are desired for future propulsion component structure health monitoring, operating parameters optimization,...

  19. Piezoelectric Structural Microensor Technology for Extreme Environments (> 1800 F), Phase II

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — High temperature piezoelectric crystal (HTPC) sensors are desired for future propulsion component structure health monitoring, operating parameters optimization,...

  20. On the coupling effects of piezoelectricity and flexoelectricity in piezoelectric nanostructures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liwen He

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Flexoelectricity is a novel kind of electromechanical coupling phenomenon that is prevalent in all solid dielectrics and usually of vital importance in nanostructures and soft materials. Although the fundamental theory of flexoelectric solids and related beam or plate theories were extensively studied in recent years, the coupling effect of flexoelectricity and piezoelectricity in piezoelectric nanostructures has not been completely clarified yet. In the present work, a geometrically nonlinear piezoelectric plate model is established with a focus on the coupling effect. The constitutive equations for piezoelectric plates are derived under both the electrically short-circuit and open-circuit conditions. It is found that due to the coupling between flexoelectricity and piezoelectricity, stretching-bending coupling stiffness arises in the homogeneous plate and its specific value relies on the applied electrical boundary conditions. The effects of the flexoelectric-piezoelectric coupling on the effective mechanical behavior and the electromechanical behavior of nanobeams and nanoplates are also discussed. The developed model and presented results are expected to benefit the design and analysis of piezoelectric and flexoelectric devices and systems.

  1. Piezoelectric Motors, an Overview

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karl Spanner

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Piezoelectric motors are used in many industrial and commercial applications. Various piezoelectric motors are available in the market. All of the piezoelectric motors use the inverse piezoelectric effect, where microscopically small oscillatory motions are converted into continuous or stepping rotary or linear motions. Methods of obtaining long moving distance have various drive and functional principles that make these motors categorized into three groups: resonance-drive (piezoelectric ultrasonic motors, inertia-drive, and piezo-walk-drive. In this review, a comprehensive summary of piezoelectric motors, with their classification from initial idea to recent progress, is presented. This review also includes some of the industrial and commercial applications of piezoelectric motors that are presently available in the market as actuators.

  2. Piezoelectric and electromechanical properties of ultrahigh temperature CaBi2Nb2O9 ceramics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Jin-Feng; Zhang, Shujun; Shrout, Thomas R.; Wang, Chun-Ming

    2009-01-01

    The piezoelectric, dielectric, and electromechanical properties of the (KCe) co-substituted calcium bismuth niobate (CaBi 2 Nb 2 O 9 , CBN) were investigated. The piezoelectric activities of CBN ceramics were significantly enhanced and the dielectric loss tan δ decreased by (KCe) substitution. The Ca 0.9 (KCe) 0.05 Bi 2 Nb 2 O 9 ceramics possess the optimal piezoelectric properties, and the piezoelectric coefficient (d 33 ), Curie temperature (T C ), and electromechanical coupling factors (k p and k t ) were found to be 16 pC/N, 868 C, 8.6%, and 23.8%, respectively. The excellent dielectric and electromechanical spectra, together with the high piezoelectric activities and ultrahigh Curie temperature, make CBN ceramics promising candidates for high temperature piezoelectric applications. (copyright 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

  3. Size-dependent effective properties of anisotropic piezoelectric composites with piezoelectric nano-particles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang, Ming-Juan; Fang, Xue-Qian; Liu, Jin-Xi; Feng, Wen-Jie; Zhao, Yong-Mao

    2015-01-01

    Based on the electro-elastic surface/interface theory, the size-dependent effective piezoelectric and dielectric coefficients of anisotropic piezoelectric composites that consist of spherically piezoelectric inclusions under a uniform electric field are investigated, and the analytical solutions for the elastic displacement and electric potentials are derived. With consideration of the coupling effects of elasticity, permittivity and piezoelectricity, the effective field method is introduced to derive the effective dielectric and piezoelectric responses in the dilute limit. The numerical examples show that the effective dielectric constant exhibits a significant variation due to the surface/interface effect. The dielectric property of the surface/interface displays greater effect than the piezoelectric property, and the elastic property shows little effect. A comparison with the existing results validates the present approach. (paper)

  4. A piezoelectric transformer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Won, C. C.

    1993-01-01

    This work describes a modeling and design method whereby a piezoelectric system is formulated by two sets of second-order equations, one for the mechanical system, and the other for the electrical system, coupled through the piezoelectric effect. The solution to this electromechanical coupled system gives a physical interpretation of the piezoelectric effect as a piezoelectric transformer that is a part of the piezoelectric system, which transfers the applied mechanical force into a force-controlled current source, and short circuit mechanical compliance into capacitance. It also transfers the voltage source into a voltage-controlled relative velocity input, and free motional capacitance into mechanical compliance. The formulation and interpretation simplify the modeling of smart structures and lead to physical insight that aids the designer. Due to its physical realization, the smart structural system can be unconditional stable and effectively control responses. This new concept has been demonstrated in three numerical examples for a simple piezoelectric system.

  5. Identification of elastic, dielectric, and piezoelectric constants in piezoceramic disks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perez, Nicolas; Andrade, Marco A B; Buiochi, Flavio; Adamowski, Julio C

    2010-12-01

    Three-dimensional modeling of piezoelectric devices requires a precise knowledge of piezoelectric material parameters. The commonly used piezoelectric materials belong to the 6mm symmetry class, which have ten independent constants. In this work, a methodology to obtain precise material constants over a wide frequency band through finite element analysis of a piezoceramic disk is presented. Given an experimental electrical impedance curve and a first estimate for the piezoelectric material properties, the objective is to find the material properties that minimize the difference between the electrical impedance calculated by the finite element method and that obtained experimentally by an electrical impedance analyzer. The methodology consists of four basic steps: experimental measurement, identification of vibration modes and their sensitivity to material constants, a preliminary identification algorithm, and final refinement of the material constants using an optimization algorithm. The application of the methodology is exemplified using a hard lead zirconate titanate piezoceramic. The same methodology is applied to a soft piezoceramic. The errors in the identification of each parameter are statistically estimated in both cases, and are less than 0.6% for elastic constants, and less than 6.3% for dielectric and piezoelectric constants.

  6. Power Control Optimization of an Underwater Piezoelectric Energy Harvester

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iñigo Aramendia

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Over the past few years, it has been established that vibration energy harvesters with intentionally designed components can be used for frequency bandwidth enhancement under excitation for sufficiently high vibration amplitudes. Pipelines are often necessary means of transporting important resources such as water, gas, and oil. A self-powered wireless sensor network could be a sustainable alternative for in-pipe monitoring applications. A new control algorithm has been developed and implemented into an underwater energy harvester. Firstly, a computational study of a piezoelectric energy harvester for underwater applications has been studied for using the kinetic energy of water flow at four different Reynolds numbers Re = 3000, 6000, 9000, and 12,000. The device consists of a piezoelectric beam assembled to an oscillating cylinder inside the water of pipes from 2 to 5 inches in diameter. Therefore, unsteady simulations have been performed to study the dynamic forces under different water speeds. Secondly, a new control law strategy based on the computational results has been developed to extract as much energy as possible from the energy harvester. The results show that the harvester can efficiently extract the power from the kinetic energy of the fluid. The maximum power output is 996.25 µW and corresponds to the case with Re = 12,000.

  7. Enhanced piezoelectric operation of NiO/GaN heterojunction generator by suppressed internal carrier screening

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jeong, Dae Kyung; Kang, Jin-Ho; Ryu, Sang-Wan; Ha, Jun-Seok

    2017-01-01

    A NiO/GaN heterojunction piezoelectric generator was fabricated, and the improvement in device performance was analyzed. The electrical properties of NiO were varied by regulating the gas environment during sputtering. An optimized NiO layer was adopted for high piezoelectric voltage generation. Internal carrier screening was revealed to be the dominant mechanism degrading the piezoelectric performance, necessitating the suppression of carrier screening. The highly resistive NiO layer was advantageous in the suppression of carrier transport across the junction that screened the piezoelectric field. The maximum piezoelectric voltage and current density values obtained were 7.55 V and 1.14 µ A cm −2 , respectively. The power obtained was sufficient to operate a light-emitting diode combined with a charging circuit. (paper)

  8. A new piezoelectric energy harvesting design concept: multimodal energy harvesting skin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Soobum; Youn, Byeng D

    2011-03-01

    This paper presents an advanced design concept for a piezoelectric energy harvesting (EH), referred to as multimodal EH skin. This EH design facilitates the use of multimodal vibration and enhances power harvesting efficiency. The multimodal EH skin is an extension of our previous work, EH skin, which was an innovative design paradigm for a piezoelectric energy harvester: a vibrating skin structure and an additional thin piezoelectric layer in one device. A computational (finite element) model of the multilayered assembly - the vibrating skin structure and piezoelectric layer - is constructed and the optimal topology and/or shape of the piezoelectric layer is found for maximum power generation from multiple vibration modes. A design rationale for the multimodal EH skin was proposed: designing a piezoelectric material distribution and external resistors. In the material design step, the piezoelectric material is segmented by inflection lines from multiple vibration modes of interests to minimize voltage cancellation. The inflection lines are detected using the voltage phase. In the external resistor design step, the resistor values are found for each segment to maximize power output. The presented design concept, which can be applied to any engineering system with multimodal harmonic-vibrating skins, was applied to two case studies: an aircraft skin and a power transformer panel. The excellent performance of multimodal EH skin was demonstrated, showing larger power generation than EH skin without segmentation or unimodal EH skin.

  9. Raindrop Kinetic Energy Piezoelectric Harvesters and Relevant Interface Circuits: Review, Issues and Outlooks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kok Gnee CHUA

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available As an ecological source of renewable energy, the available kinetic energy of rainfall is not trifling, especially in tropical countries at the equators. The research on the use of piezoelectric transducer to harvest raindrop kinetic energy is gaining more and more attention recently. This article reviews the state-of-the-art energy harvesting technology from the conversion of raindrop kinetic energy using piezoelectric transducers as well as its interface circuits for vibration-based energy harvesters. Performance of different types of piezoelectric harvesters in terms of power output, area power density and energy conversion efficiency are compared. Summaries of key problems and suggestions on the optimization of the performance of the piezoelectric harvesters are also provided for future works.

  10. TOPICAL REVIEW: Progress in engineering high strain lead-free piezoelectric ceramics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leontsev, Serhiy O.; Eitel, Richard E.

    2010-08-01

    Environmental concerns are strongly driving the need to replace the lead-based piezoelectric materials currently employed as multilayer actuators. The current review describes both compositional and structural engineering approaches to achieve enhanced piezoelectric properties in lead-free materials. The review of the compositional engineering approach focuses on compositional tuning of the properties and phase behavior in three promising families of lead-free perovskite ferroelectrics: the titanate, alkaline niobate and bismuth perovskites and their solid solutions. The 'structural engineering' approaches focus instead on optimization of microstructural features including grain size, grain orientation or texture, ferroelectric domain size and electrical bias field as potential paths to induce large piezoelectric properties in lead-free piezoceramics. It is suggested that a combination of both compositional and novel structural engineering approaches will be required in order to realize viable lead-free alternatives to current lead-based materials for piezoelectric actuator applications.

  11. Design and characterization of piezoelectric ultrasonic motors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yener, Serra

    This thesis presents modeling and prototype fabrication and characterization of new types of piezoelectric ultrasonic micromotors. Our approach in designing these piezoelectric motors was: (i) to simplify the structure including the poling configuration of piezoelectric elements used in the stator and (ii) to reduce the number of components in order to decrease the cost and enhance the driving reliability. There are two different types of piezoelectric motors designed throughout this research. The first of these designs consists of a metal tube, on which two piezoelectric ceramic plates poled in thickness direction, were bonded. Two orthogonal bending modes of the hollow cylinder were superimposed resulting in a rotational vibration. Since the structure and poling configuration of the active piezoelectric elements used in the stator are simple, this motor structure is very suitable for miniaturization. Moreover, a single driving source can excite two bending modes at the same time, thus generate a wobble motion. Three types of prototypes are included in this design. The piezoelectric stator structure is the same for all. However, the dimensions of the motors are reduced by almost 50 percent. Starting with a 10 mm long stator, we reached to 4 mm in the last prototype. The initial diameter was 2.4 mm, which was reduced to 1.6 mm. In the final design, the rotor part of the motor was changed resulting in the reduction in the number of components. In terms of driving circuit, a single driving source was enough to run the motors and a conventional switching power supply type resonant L-C circuit was used. A simple motor structure with a simple driving circuit were combined successfully and fabricated inexpensively. The second design is a shear type piezoelectric linear motor. The behavior of a single rectangular piezoelectric shear plate was analyzed and after optimizing the dimensions and the mode characteristics, a prototype was fabricated. The prototype consists of

  12. Engineered piezoelectricity in graphene.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ong, Mitchell T; Reed, Evan J

    2012-02-28

    We discover that piezoelectric effects can be engineered into nonpiezoelectric graphene through the selective surface adsorption of atoms. Our calculations show that doping a single sheet of graphene with atoms on one side results in the generation of piezoelectricity by breaking inversion symmetry. Despite their 2D nature, piezoelectric magnitudes are found to be comparable to those in 3D piezoelectric materials. Our results elucidate a designer piezoelectric phenomenon, unique to the nanoscale, that has potential to bring dynamical control to nanoscale electromechanical devices.

  13. Comparison of the frequency response characteristics of catheter-mounted piezoelectric and micromanometric phonotransducers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia, J C; Layton, S A; Rubal, B J

    1989-05-01

    This study compares the frequency response characteristics of catheter-mounted piezoelectric sound transducers with micromanometric transducers. The tip of a 8F catheter with two piezoelectric transducers and two micromanometers was inserted into a water-filled chamber that had a speaker fixed at one end. The speaker was driven by a power amplifier and sine wave generator. The outputs of the transducers were connected to a low-level amplifier. The piezoelectric transducer behaved as a tunable high-pass filter that could be modified by altering the input impedance of the low level amplifier; the frequency response characteristics were examined at five input impedances ranging from 0.96 to 11.8 megohms. The peak-to-peak outputs of the piezoelectric and pressure transducers were recorded at frequency ranges from DC to 1 kHz with a wide-band oscilloscope. The ratio of the outputs from the piezotransducer and micromanometer (Vph/Vpr) was plotted vs. frequency for each input impedance and analyzed to determine the piezotransducer's output resistance and equivalent capacitance; roll-off frequencies were then calculated. The equivalent capacitance of the piezo-element was determined to be 500-700 picofarads. Series capacitance acted with network resistance to produce a predictable frequency-dependent change in signal amplitude and phase angle. The inherent noise of the pressure transducer was found to be approximately 0.2 mm Hg, while the noise of the piezoelectric transducer was immeasurably low. The piezoelectric phonotransducers were superior to micromanometer transducers in their higher gain and lower noise, suggesting that these transducers may prove useful to physiologic and clinical studies for measuring intravascular sound.

  14. Piezoelectric transduction of flexural modes in pre-stressed microbeam resonators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torri, G. B.; Janssen, N. M. A.; Zeng, Z.; Rottenberg, X.; Karabacak, D. M.; Vandecasteele, M.; Van Hoof, C.; Puers, R.; Tilmans, H. A. C.

    2014-08-01

    This paper reports on the optimization of the design of piezoelectric transducer elements integrated on doubly-clamped microbeam resonators utilized as (bio)chemical sensors. We report and emphasize the often forgotten influence of membrane stresses on defining the dimensions and optimal position of the piezoelectric transducer elements. The study takes into account stress induced structural changes and provides models for the equivalent motional parameters of resonators with particular shapes of the transducers matching the flexural modes of vibration. The above is analyzed theoretically using numerical models and is confirmed by impedance measurements and optical measurements of fabricated doubly-clamped beam resonators. We propose various transducer designs and highlight the advantages of using higher order vibration modes by implementing specially designed mode matching transducer elements. It is concluded that the paper describes and highlights the importance of accounting for the membrane stresses to optimize the resonator performance and the low power in electronic feedback of resonating sensing systems.

  15. Piezoelectric transduction of flexural modes in pre-stressed microbeam resonators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Torri, G B; Rottenberg, X; Hoof, C Van; Puers, R; Tilmans, H A C; Janssen, N M A; Zeng, Z; Karabacak, D M; Vandecasteele, M

    2014-01-01

    This paper reports on the optimization of the design of piezoelectric transducer elements integrated on doubly-clamped microbeam resonators utilized as (bio)chemical sensors. We report and emphasize the often forgotten influence of membrane stresses on defining the dimensions and optimal position of the piezoelectric transducer elements. The study takes into account stress induced structural changes and provides models for the equivalent motional parameters of resonators with particular shapes of the transducers matching the flexural modes of vibration. The above is analyzed theoretically using numerical models and is confirmed by impedance measurements and optical measurements of fabricated doubly-clamped beam resonators. We propose various transducer designs and highlight the advantages of using higher order vibration modes by implementing specially designed mode matching transducer elements. It is concluded that the paper describes and highlights the importance of accounting for the membrane stresses to optimize the resonator performance and the low power in electronic feedback of resonating sensing systems. (paper)

  16. Applications of Piezoelectric Ceramics

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Applications of Piezoelectric Ceramics. Piezoelectric Actuators. Nano and Micropositioners. Vibration Control Systems. Computer Printers. Piezoelectric Transformers,Voltage Generators, Spark Plugs, Ultrasonic Motors,. Ultrasonic Generators and Sensors. Sonars, Medical Diagnostic. Computer Memories. NVFRAM ...

  17. Theoretical and experimental research on the influence of multiple piezoelectric effects on physical parameters of piezoelectric actuator

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liping Shi

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Compared with the traditional actuator of machinery and electricity, the piezoelectric actuator has the advantages of a compact structure, small volume, no mechanical friction, athermancy and no electromagnetic interference. Therefore, it has high application value in the fields of MEMS, bioengineering, medical science and so on. This article draws conclusions from the influence of multiple piezoelectric effects on the physical parameters (dielectric coefficient, equivalent capacity, energy conversion and piezoelectric coefficient of piezoelectric actuators. These data from theoretical and experimental research show the following: (1 The rate between the dielectric coefficient of piezoelectric in mechanical freedom and clamping is obtained from the secondary direct piezoelectric effect, which enhances the dielectric property, increases the dielectric coefficient and decreases the coefficient of dielectric isolation; (2 Under external field, E n ( ex = E 1 , exterior stress T = 0, that is to say, under the boundary condition of mechanical freedom, piezoelectric can store electric energy and elasticity, which obtains power density, elastic density and an electromechanical coupling factor; (3 According to the piezoelectric strain S i ( 1 , piezoelectric displacement D m ( 2 and piezoelectric strain S i ( 3 of multiple piezoelectric effects, when the dielectric coefficient of the first converse piezoelectric effect ε33 is 1326 and the dielectric coefficient of the secondary direct piezoelectric effect increases to 3336, the dielectric coefficient of the ceramic chip increases. When the piezoelectric coefficient of the first converse piezoelectric effect d33 is 595 and the piezoelectric coefficient of the secondary direct piezoelectric effect decreases to 240, the piezoelectric coefficient of the ceramic chip will decrease. It is of major significance both in the applications and in basic theory to research the influence of multiple piezoelectric

  18. AlN piezoelectric films for sensing and actuation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tran, A.T.

    2014-01-01

    Aluminum Nitride (AlN) is explored as a thin film material for piezoelectric MEMS applications. A pulse DC reactive sputtering technique is used to deposit the AlN thin films and process parameters are optimized to obtain good crystallinity and high c-axis orientation films. A CMOS compatible

  19. Combined Pyroelectric, Piezoelectric and Shape Memory Effects for Thermal Energy Harvesting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zakharov, D; Gusarov, B; Cugat, O; Delamare, J; Gimeno, L; Gusarova, E; Viala, B

    2013-01-01

    This work proposes an enhanced method for thermal energy harvesting exploiting combined pyroelectric, piezoelectric and shape memory (SME) effects, and presents its experimental validation. A material which is pyroelectric is also piezoelectric. If it is combined with a material with SME, which generates large strain and stress in a rather narrow temperature range, the resulting composite material would generate voltage from temperature variations using two different energy conversion principles at once: (1) pyroelectric effect, (2) piezoelectric effect driven by SME. A Macro Fiber Composite piezoelectric was shown here to exhibit significant pyroelectric effect (∼4 V/°C). When combining it with a SME Ti-Ni-Cu alloy into a laminated structure, this effect increased by 50%. This increase may be an order of magnitude higher for an optimized system. Such composites open an opportunity to harvest thermal energy from natural sources, since this method can increase the rather low efficiency of current pyroelectric materials especially for small temperature variations

  20. Piezoelectric drive circuit

    Science.gov (United States)

    Treu, C.A. Jr.

    1999-08-31

    A piezoelectric motor drive circuit is provided which utilizes the piezoelectric elements as oscillators and a Meacham half-bridge approach to develop feedback from the motor ground circuit to produce a signal to drive amplifiers to power the motor. The circuit automatically compensates for shifts in harmonic frequency of the piezoelectric elements due to pressure and temperature changes. 7 figs.

  1. Best voltage bias-flipping strategy towards maximum piezoelectric power generation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liang, Junrui; Chung, Henry Shu-Hung

    2013-01-01

    In piezoelectric energy harvesting (PEH) systems, energy extracted from piezoelectric structure can be increased by making piezoelectric voltage in phase with vibration velocity and raising the voltage amplitude. Such voltage manipulations can be realized by synchronously flipping the piezoelectric voltage with respect to a bias dc source at every displacement extremum. Given that net harvested energy is obtained by deducting dissipated energy from total extracted energy, a sophisticated voltage bias-flipping scheme, which can maximize extracted energy at low dissipative cost, is required towards harvested energy optimization. This paper extends the state of the art by proposing the best bias-flip strategy, which is delivered on conceptual synchronized multiple bias-flip (SMBF) interface circuits. The proposed strategy coordinates both requirements on larger voltage change in synchronized instant for more extracted energy and smaller voltage change in each bias-flip action for less dissipated energy. It not only leads to further enhancement of harvesting capability beyond existing solutions, but also provides an unprecedented physical insight on maximum achievable harvesting capability of PEH interface circuit

  2. Calculation of Residual Dose Rates and Intervention Scenarios for the LHC Beam Cleaning Insertions-Constraints and Optimization

    CERN Document Server

    Brugger, Markus; Assmann, R W; Forkel-Wirth, Doris; Menzel, Hans Gregor; Roesler, Stefan; Vincke, Helmut H

    2005-01-01

    Radiation protection of the personnel who will perform interventions in the LHC Beam Cleaning Insertions is mandatory and includes the design of equipment and the establishment of work procedures. Residual dose rates due to activated equipment are expected to reach significant values such that any maintenance has to be planned and optimized in advance. Three-dimensional maps of dose equivalent rates at different cooling times after operation of the LHC have been calculated with FLUKA. The simulations are based on an explicit calculation of induced radioactivity and of the transport of the radiation from the radioactive decay. The paper summarizes the results for the Beam Cleaning Insertions and discusses the estimation of individual and collective doses received by personnel during critical interventions, such as the exchange of a collimator or the installation of Phase 2. The given examples outline the potential and the need to optimize, in an iterative way, the design of components as well as the layout of ...

  3. Role of Reversible Phase Transformation for Strong Piezoelectric Performance at the Morphotropic Phase Boundary

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Hui; Chen, Jun; Huang, Houbing; Fan, Longlong; Ren, Yang; Pan, Zhao; Deng, Jinxia; Chen, Long-Qing; Xing, Xianran

    2018-01-01

    A functional material with coexisting energetically equivalent phases often exhibits extraordinary properties such as piezoelectricity, ferromagnetism, and ferroelasticity, which is simultaneously accompanied by field-driven reversible phase transformation. The study on the interplay between such phase transformation and the performance is of great importance. Here, we have experimentally revealed the important role of field-driven reversible phase transformation in achieving enhanced electromechanical properties using in situ high-energy synchrotron x-ray diffraction combined with 2D geometry scattering technology, which can establish a comprehensive picture of piezoelectric-related microstructural evolution. High-throughput experiments on various Pb /Bi -based perovskite piezoelectric systems suggest that reversible phase transformation can be triggered by an electric field at the morphotropic phase boundary and the piezoelectric performance is highly related to the tendency of electric-field-driven phase transformation. A strong tendency of phase transformation driven by an electric field generates peak piezoelectric response. Further, phase-field modeling reveals that the polarization alignment and the piezoelectric response can be much enhanced by the electric-field-driven phase transformation. The proposed mechanism will be helpful to design and optimize the new piezoelectrics, ferromagnetics, or other related functional materials.

  4. Tapping insertional torque allows prediction for better pedicle screw fixation and optimal screw size selection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helgeson, Melvin D; Kang, Daniel G; Lehman, Ronald A; Dmitriev, Anton E; Luhmann, Scott J

    2013-08-01

    There is currently no reliable technique for intraoperative assessment of pedicle screw fixation strength and optimal screw size. Several studies have evaluated pedicle screw insertional torque (IT) and its direct correlation with pullout strength. However, there is limited clinical application with pedicle screw IT as it must be measured during screw placement and rarely causes the spine surgeon to change screw size. To date, no study has evaluated tapping IT, which precedes screw insertion, and its ability to predict pedicle screw pullout strength. The objective of this study was to investigate tapping IT and its ability to predict pedicle screw pullout strength and optimal screw size. In vitro human cadaveric biomechanical analysis. Twenty fresh-frozen human cadaveric thoracic vertebral levels were prepared and dual-energy radiographic absorptiometry scanned for bone mineral density (BMD). All specimens were osteoporotic with a mean BMD of 0.60 ± 0.07 g/cm(2). Five specimens (n=10) were used to perform a pilot study, as there were no previously established values for optimal tapping IT. Each pedicle during the pilot study was measured using a digital caliper as well as computed tomography measurements, and the optimal screw size was determined to be equal to or the first size smaller than the pedicle diameter. The optimal tap size was then selected as the tap diameter 1 mm smaller than the optimal screw size. During optimal tap size insertion, all peak tapping IT values were found to be between 2 in-lbs and 3 in-lbs. Therefore, the threshold tapping IT value for optimal pedicle screw and tap size was determined to be 2.5 in-lbs, and a comparison tapping IT value of 1.5 in-lbs was selected. Next, 15 test specimens (n=30) were measured with digital calipers, probed, tapped, and instrumented using a paired comparison between the two threshold tapping IT values (Group 1: 1.5 in-lbs; Group 2: 2.5 in-lbs), randomly assigned to the left or right pedicle on each

  5. Phase coexistence in ferroelectric solid solutions: Formation of monoclinic phase with enhanced piezoelectricity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaoyan Lu

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Phase morphology and corresponding piezoelectricity in ferroelectric solid solutions were studied by using a phenomenological theory with the consideration of phase coexistence. Results have shown that phases with similar energy potentials can coexist, thus induce interfacial stresses which lead to the formation of adaptive monoclinic phases. A new tetragonal-like monoclinic to rhombohedral-like monoclinic phase transition was predicted in a shear stress state. Enhanced piezoelectricity can be achieved by manipulating the stress state close to a critical stress field. Phase coexistence is universal in ferroelectric solid solutions and may provide a way to optimize ultra-fine structures and proper stress states to achieve ultrahigh piezoelectricity.

  6. Energy harvesting performance of piezoelectric ceramic and polymer nanowires.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crossley, Sam; Kar-Narayan, Sohini

    2015-08-28

    . Our work offers a viable means of comparing NG materials and devices on a like-for-like basis that may be useful for designing and optimizing nanoscale piezoelectric energy harvesters for specific applications.

  7. Analysis of an x-ray mirror made from piezoelectric bimorph

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yao; Li, Ming; Tang, Shanzhi; Gao, Junxiang; Zhang, Weiwei; Zhu, Peiping

    2017-07-01

    Theoretical analysis of the mechanical behavior of an x-ray mirror made from piezoelectric bimorph is presented. A complete two-dimensional relationship between the radius of curvature of the mirror and the applied voltage is derived. The accuracy of this relationship is studied by comparing the figures calculated by the relationship and Finite Element Analysis. The influences of several critical parameters in the relationship on the radius of curvature are analyzed. It is found that piezoelectric coefficient d31 is the main material property parameter that dominates the radius of curvature, and that the optimal thickness of PZT plate corresponding to largest bending range is 2.5 times of that of faceplate. It is demonstrated that the relationship is helpful for us to complete the primary design of the x-ray mirror made from piezoelectric bimorph.

  8. Active wing design with integrated flight control using piezoelectric macro fiber composites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Paradies, Rolf; Ciresa, Paolo

    2009-01-01

    Piezoelectric macro fiber composites (MFCs) have been implemented as actuators into an active composite wing. The goal of the project was the design of a wing for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with a thin profile and integrated roll control with piezoelectric elements. The design and its optimization were based on a fully coupled structural fluid dynamics model that implemented constraints from available materials and manufacturing. A scaled prototype wing was manufactured. The design model was validated with static and preliminary dynamic tests of the prototype wing. The qualitative agreement between the numerical model and experiments was good. Dynamic tests were also performed on a sandwich wing of the same size with conventional aileron control for comparison. Even though the roll moment generated by the active wing was lower, it proved sufficient for the intended roll control of the UAV. The active wing with piezoelectric flight control constitutes one of the first examples where such a design has been optimized and the numerical model has been validated in experiments

  9. High-Temperature Piezoelectric Sensing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaoning Jiang

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Piezoelectric sensing is of increasing interest for high-temperature applications in aerospace, automotive, power plants and material processing due to its low cost, compact sensor size and simple signal conditioning, in comparison with other high-temperature sensing techniques. This paper presented an overview of high-temperature piezoelectric sensing techniques. Firstly, different types of high-temperature piezoelectric single crystals, electrode materials, and their pros and cons are discussed. Secondly, recent work on high-temperature piezoelectric sensors including accelerometer, surface acoustic wave sensor, ultrasound transducer, acoustic emission sensor, gas sensor, and pressure sensor for temperatures up to 1,250 °C were reviewed. Finally, discussions of existing challenges and future work for high-temperature piezoelectric sensing are presented.

  10. Passive acoustic radiation control for a vibrating panel with piezoelectric shunt damping circuit using particle swarm optimization algorithm

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jeon, Jin Young

    2009-01-01

    This paper presents a new acoustic radiation optimization method for a vibrating panel-like structure with a passive piezoelectric shunt damping system in order to minimize well-radiating modes generated from the panel. The optimization method is based on an idea of using the p-version finite element method(p-version FEM), the boundary element method(BEM), and the particle swarm optimization algorithm(PSOA). Optimum embossment design for the vibrating panel using the PSOA is first investigated in order to minimize noise radiation over a frequency range of interest. The optimum embossment design works as a kind of stiffener so that well-radiating natural modes are shifted up with some degrees. The optimized panel, however, may still require additional damping for attenuating the peak acoustic amplitudes. A passive shunt damping system is thus employed to additionally damp the well-radiating modes from the optimized panel. To numerically evaluate the acoustic multiple-mode damping capability by a shunt damping system, the integrated p-version FEM/BEM for the panel with the shunt damping system is modeled and developed by MATLAB. Using the PSOA, the optimization technique for the optimal multiple-mode shunt damper is investigated in order to achieve the optimum damping performance for the well-radiating modes simultaneously. Also, the acoustic damping performance of the shunt damping circuit in the acoustic environment is demonstrated numerically and experimentally with respect to the realistically sized panel. The simulated result shows a good agreement with that of the experimental result

  11. Electrical Properties and Power Considerations of a Piezoelectric Actuator

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jordan, T.; Ounaies, Z.; Tripp, J.; Tcheng, P.

    1999-01-01

    This paper assesses the electrical characteristics of piezoelectric wafers for use in aeronautical applications such as active noise control in aircraft. Determination of capacitive behavior and power consumption is necessary to optimize the system configuration and to design efficient driving electronics. Empirical relations are developed from experimental data to predict the capacitance and loss tangent of a PZT5A ceramic as nonlinear functions of both applied peak voltage and driving frequency. Power consumed by the PZT is the rate of energy required to excite the piezoelectric system along with power dissipated due to dielectric loss and mechanical and structural damping. Overall power consumption is thus quantified as a function of peak applied voltage and driving frequency. It was demonstrated that by incorporating the variation of capacitance and power loss with voltage and frequency, satisfactory estimates of power requirements can be obtained. These relations allow general guidelines in selection and application of piezoelectric actuators and driving electronics for active control applications.

  12. On the Energy Conversion Efficiency of Piezoelectric Vibration Energy Harvesting Devices

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Jae Eun [Catholic University of Daegu, Kyungsan (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-05-15

    To properly design and assess a piezoelectric vibration energy harvester, it is necessary to consider the application of an efficiency measure of energy conversion. The energy conversion efficiency is defined in this work as the ratio of the electrical output power to the mechanical input power for a piezoelectric vibration energy harvester with an impedance-matched load resistor. While previous research works employed the electrical output power for approximate impedance-matched load resistance, this work derives an efficiency measure considering optimally matched resistance. The modified efficiency measure is validated by comparing it with finite element analysis results for piezoelectric vibration energy harvesters with three different values of the electro-mechanical coupling coefficient. New findings on the characteristics of energy conversion and conversion efficiency are also provided for the two different impedance matching methods.

  13. Comparative study of coated and uncoated tool inserts with dry machining of EN47 steel using Taguchi L9 optimization technique

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vasu, M.; Shivananda, Nayaka H.

    2018-04-01

    EN47 steel samples are machined on a self-centered lathe using Chemical Vapor Deposition of coated TiCN/Al2O3/TiN and uncoated tungsten carbide tool inserts, with nose radius 0.8mm. Results are compared with each other and optimized using statistical tool. Input (cutting) parameters that are considered in this work are feed rate (f), cutting speed (Vc), and depth of cut (ap), the optimization criteria are based on the Taguchi (L9) orthogonal array. ANOVA method is adopted to evaluate the statistical significance and also percentage contribution for each model. Multiple response characteristics namely cutting force (Fz), tool tip temperature (T) and surface roughness (Ra) are evaluated. The results discovered that coated tool insert (TiCN/Al2O3/TiN) exhibits 1.27 and 1.29 times better than the uncoated tool insert for tool tip temperature and surface roughness respectively. A slight increase in cutting force was observed for coated tools.

  14. A Piezoelectric Cryogenic Heat Switch

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jahromi, Amir E.; Sullivan, Dan F.

    2014-01-01

    We have measured the thermal conductance of a mechanical heat switch actuated by a piezoelectric positioner, the PZHS (PieZo electric Heat Switch), at cryogenic temperatures. The thermal conductance of the PZHS was measured between 4 K and 10 K, and on/off conductance ratios greater than 100 were achieved when the positioner applied its maximum force of 8 N. We discuss the advantages of using this system in cryogenic applications, and estimate the ultimate performance of an optimized PZHS.

  15. Design, fabrication, and properties of 2-2 connectivity cement/polymer based piezoelectric composites with varied piezoelectric phase distribution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dongyu, Xu; Xin, Cheng; Shifeng, Huang; Banerjee, Sourav

    2014-01-01

    The laminated 2-2 connectivity cement/polymer based piezoelectric composites with varied piezoelectric phase distribution were fabricated by employing Lead Zirconium Titanate ceramic as active phase, and mixture of cement powder, epoxy resin, and hardener as matrix phase with a mass proportion of 4:4:1. The dielectric, piezoelectric, and electromechanical coupling properties of the composites were studied. The composites with large total volume fraction of piezoelectric phase have large piezoelectric strain constant and relative permittivity, and the piezoelectric and dielectric properties of the composites are independent of the dimensional variations of the piezoelectric ceramic layer. The composites with small total volume fraction of piezoelectric phase have large piezoelectric voltage constant, but also large dielectric loss. The composite with gradually increased dimension of piezoelectric ceramic layer has the smallest dielectric loss, and that with the gradually increased dimension of matrix layer has the largest piezoelectric voltage constant. The novel piezoelectric composites show potential applications in fabricating ultrasonic transducers with varied surface vibration amplitude of the transducer

  16. Modeling, simulation, and optimal initiation planning for needle insertion into the liver.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharifi Sedeh, R; Ahmadian, M T; Janabi-Sharifi, F

    2010-04-01

    Needle insertion simulation and planning systems (SPSs) will play an important role in diminishing inappropriate insertions into soft tissues and resultant complications. Difficulties in SPS development are due in large part to the computational requirements of the extensive calculations in finite element (FE) models of tissue. For clinical feasibility, the computational speed of SPSs must be improved. At the same time, a realistic model of tissue properties that reflects large and velocity-dependent deformations must be employed. The purpose of this study is to address the aforementioned difficulties by presenting a cost-effective SPS platform for needle insertions into the liver. The study was constrained to planar (2D) cases, but can be extended to 3D insertions. To accommodate large and velocity-dependent deformations, a hyperviscoelastic model was devised to produce an FE model of liver tissue. Material constants were identified by a genetic algorithm applied to the experimental results of unconfined compressions of bovine liver. The approach for SPS involves B-spline interpolations of sample data generated from the FE model of liver. Two interpolation-based models are introduced to approximate puncture times and to approximate the coordinates of FE model nodes interacting with the needle tip as a function of the needle initiation pose; the latter was also a function of postpuncture time. A real-time simulation framework is provided, and its computational benefit is highlighted by comparing its performance with the FE method. A planning algorithm for optimal needle initiation was designed, and its effectiveness was evaluated by analyzing its accuracy in reaching a random set of targets at different resolutions of sampled data using the FE model. The proposed simulation framework can easily surpass haptic rates (>500 Hz), even with a high pose resolution level ( approximately 30). The computational time required to update the coordinates of the node at the

  17. Integration of bulk piezoelectric materials into microsystems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aktakka, Ethem Erkan

    Bulk piezoelectric ceramics, compared to deposited piezoelectric thin-films, provide greater electromechanical coupling and charge capacity, which are highly desirable in many MEMS applications. In this thesis, a technology platform is developed for wafer-level integration of bulk piezoelectric substrates on silicon, with a final film thickness of 5-100microm. The characterized processes include reliable low-temperature (200°C) AuIn diffusion bonding and parylene bonding of bulk-PZT on silicon, wafer-level lapping of bulk-PZT with high-uniformity (+/-0.5microm), and low-damage micro-machining of PZT films via dicing-saw patterning, laser ablation, and wet-etching. Preservation of ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties is confirmed with hysteresis and piezo-response measurements. The introduced technology offers higher material quality and unique advantages in fabrication flexibility over existing piezoelectric film deposition methods. In order to confirm the preserved bulk properties in the final film, diaphragm and cantilever beam actuators operating in the transverse-mode are designed, fabricated and tested. The diaphragm structure and electrode shapes/sizes are optimized for maximum deflection through finite-element simulations. During tests of fabricated devices, greater than 12microm PP displacement is obtained by actuation of a 1mm2 diaphragm at 111kHz with integration of a 50-80% efficient power management IC, which incorporates a supply-independent bias circuitry, an active diode for low-dropout rectification, a bias-flip system for higher efficiency, and a trickle battery charger. The overall system does not require a pre-charged battery, and has power consumption of <1microW in active-mode (measured) and <5pA in sleep-mode (simulated). Under lg vibration at 155Hz, a 70mF ultra-capacitor is charged from OV to 1.85V in 50 minutes.

  18. Control Application of Piezoelectric Materials to Aeroelastic Self-Excited Vibrations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Amin Rashidifar

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available A method for application of piezoelectric materials to aeroelasticity of turbomachinery blades is presented. The governing differential equations of an overhung beam are established. The induced voltage in attached piezoelectric sensors due to the strain of the beam is calculated. In aeroelastic self-excited vibrations, the aerodynamic generalized force of a specified mode can be described as a linear function of the generalized coordinate and its derivatives. This simplifies the closed loop system designed for vibration control of the corresponding structure. On the other hand, there is an industrial interest in measurement of displacement, velocity, acceleration, or a contribution of them for machinery condition monitoring. Considering this criterion in quadratic optimal control systems, a special style of performance index is configured. Utilizing the current relations in an aeroelastic case with proper attachment of piezoelectric elements can provide higher margin of instability and lead to lower vibration magnitude.

  19. A theory of piezoelectric laminates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Giangreco, E.

    1997-01-01

    A theory of piezoelectric laminates is rationally derived from the three-dimensional Voigt theory of piezoelectricity. The present theory is a generalization to piezoelectric laminates of the Reissner-Mindlin-type layer-wise theory of elastic laminates. Both a differential formulation and a variational formulation of the piezoelectric laminate problem are presented. The proposed theory is adopted in the analysis of simple problems, in order to verify its effectiveness. The results it provides turn out to be in good agreement with the results supplied by the Voigt theory of piezoelectricity

  20. Wave propagation through a flexoelectric piezoelectric slab sandwiched by two piezoelectric half-spaces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiao, Fengyu; Wei, Peijun; Li, Yueqiu

    2018-01-01

    Reflection and transmission of plane waves through a flexoelectric piezoelectric slab sandwiched by two piezoelectric half-spaces are studied in this paper. The secular equations in the flexoelectric piezoelectric material are first derived from the general governing equation. Different from the classical piezoelectric medium, there are five kinds of coupled elastic waves in the piezoelectric material with the microstructure effects taken into consideration. The state vectors are obtained by the summation of contributions from all possible partial waves. The state transfer equation of flexoelectric piezoelectric slab is derived from the motion equation by the reduction of order, and the transfer matrix of flexoelectric piezoelectric slab is obtained by solving the state transfer equation. By using the continuous conditions at the interface and the approach of partition matrix, we get the resultant algebraic equations in term of the transfer matrix from which the reflection and transmission coefficients can be calculated. The amplitude ratios and further the energy flux ratios of various waves are evaluated numerically. The numerical results are shown graphically and are validated by the energy conservation law. Based on these numerical results, the influences of two characteristic lengths of microstructure and the flexoelectric coefficients on the wave propagation are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Notes on Piezoelectricity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Redondo, Antonio [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

    2016-02-03

    These notes provide a pedagogical discussion of the physics of piezoelectricity. The exposition starts with a brief analysis of the classical (continuum) theory of piezoelectric phenomena in solids. The main subject of the notes is, however, a quantum mechanical analysis. We first derive the Frohlich Hamiltonian as part of the description of the electron-phonon interaction. The results of this analysis are then employed to derive the equations of piezoelectricity. A couple of examples with the zinc blende and and wurtzite structures are presented at the end

  2. Energy harvesting performance of piezoelectric ceramic and polymer nanowires

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Crossley, Sam; Kar-Narayan, Sohini

    2015-01-01

    certain cases, to have similar energy conversion efficiencies, ceramics are more promising in strain-driven NGs while polymers are more promising for stress-driven NGs. Our work offers a viable means of comparing NG materials and devices on a like-for-like basis that may be useful for designing and optimizing nanoscale piezoelectric energy harvesters for specific applications. (paper)

  3. Sound insulation performance of plates with interconnected distributed piezoelectric patches

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yi Kaijun

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available This paper deals with the sound insulation performance of a thin plate with interconnected distributed piezoelectric patches. Piezoelectric patches are periodically bonded on the surfaces of the plate in a collocated fashion, and are interconnected via an inductive circuit network. This piezoelectric system is termed as piezo-electromechanical (PEM plate in the paper. Homogenization methods are involved under a sub-wavelength assumption to analytically develop the dynamical equations for the PEM plate. The dispersion relationships and energy densities of the wave modes propagating in the PEM plate are studied; the sub-wavelength assumption is verified for the simulations in this paper. The coincidence frequency of the PEM plate is researched, and results show that the coincidence frequency of the PEM plate will disappear at certain circumstances; mathematical and physical explanations are made for this phenomenon. The disappearance of the coincidence frequency is used to optimize the value of inductance, for the purpose of improving the sound transmission loss of the PEM plate.

  4. Parameter identification and model validation for the piezoelectric actuator in an inertia motor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hunstig, Matthias; Hemsel, Tobias

    2010-01-01

    Piezoelectric inertia motors make use of the inertia of a slider to drive the slider by friction contact in a series of small steps which are generally composed of a stick phase and a slip phase. If the best electrical drive signal for the piezoelectric actuator in an inertia motor is to be determined, its dynamical behaviour must be known. A classic dynamic lumped parameter model for piezoelectric actuators is valid only in resonance and, therefore, is not suitable for modelling the actuator in an inertia motor. A reduced dynamic model is used instead. Its parameters are identified using a step response measurement. This model is used to predict the movement of the actuator in response to a velocity-optimized signal introduced in a separate contribution. Results show that the model cannot represent the dynamical characteristics of the actuator completely. For determining voltage signals that let piezoelectric actuators follow a calculated movement pattern exactly, the model can, therefore, only be used with limitations.

  5. Stretchable piezoelectric nanocomposite generator.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Kwi-Il; Jeong, Chang Kyu; Kim, Na Kyung; Lee, Keon Jae

    2016-01-01

    Piezoelectric energy conversion that generate electric energy from ambient mechanical and vibrational movements is promising energy harvesting technology because it can use more accessible energy resources than other renewable natural energy. In particular, flexible and stretchable piezoelectric energy harvesters which can harvest the tiny biomechanical motions inside human body into electricity properly facilitate not only the self-powered energy system for flexible and wearable electronics but also sensitive piezoelectric sensors for motion detectors and in vivo diagnosis kits. Since the piezoelectric ZnO nanowires (NWs)-based energy harvesters (nanogenerators) were proposed in 2006, many researchers have attempted the nanogenerator by using the various fabrication process such as nanowire growth, electrospinning, and transfer techniques with piezoelectric materials including polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) polymer and perovskite ceramics. In 2012, the composite-based nanogenerators were developed using simple, low-cost, and scalable methods to overcome the significant issues with previously-reported energy harvester, such as insufficient output performance and size limitation. This review paper provides a brief overview of flexible and stretchable piezoelectric nanocomposite generator for realizing the self-powered energy system with development history, power performance, and applications.

  6. Induced piezoelectricity in isotropic biomaterial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zimmerman, R L

    1976-01-01

    Isotropic material can be made to exhibit piezoelectric effects by the application of a constant electric field. For insulators, the piezoelectric strain constant is proportional to the applied electric field and for semiconductors, an additional out-of-phase component of piezoelectricity is proportional to the electric current density in the sample. The two induced coefficients are proportional to the strain-dependent dielectric constant (depsilon/dS + epsilon) and resistivity (drho/dS - rho), respectively. The latter is more important at frequencies such that rhoepsilonomega less than 1, often the case in biopolymers.Signals from induced piezoelectricity in nature may be larger than those from true piezoelectricity. PMID:990389

  7. Piezoelectric effect in strained quantum wells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dang, L.S.; Andre, R.; Cibert, J.

    1995-01-01

    This paper describes some physical aspects of the piezoelectric effect which takes place in strained semiconductor heterostructures grown along a polar axis. First we show how piezoelectric fields can be accurately measured by optical spectroscopy. Then we discuss about the origin of the non-linear piezoelectric effect reported recently for CdTe, and maybe for InAs as well. Finally we compare excitonic effects in piezoelectric and non-piezoelectric quantum wells. (orig.)

  8. Piezoelectric MEMS resonators

    CERN Document Server

    Piazza, Gianluca

    2017-01-01

    This book introduces piezoelectric microelectromechanical (pMEMS) resonators to a broad audience by reviewing design techniques including use of finite element modeling, testing and qualification of resonators, and fabrication and large scale manufacturing techniques to help inspire future research and entrepreneurial activities in pMEMS. The authors discuss the most exciting developments in the area of materials and devices for the making of piezoelectric MEMS resonators, and offer direct examples of the technical challenges that need to be overcome in order to commercialize these types of devices. Some of the topics covered include: Widely-used piezoelectric materials, as well as materials in which there is emerging interest Principle of operation and design approaches for the making of flexural, contour-mode, thickness-mode, and shear-mode piezoelectric resonators, and examples of practical implementation of these devices Large scale manufacturing approaches, with a focus on the practical aspects associate...

  9. Modeling of MEMS piezoelectric energy harvesters using electromagnetic and power system theories

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahmad, Mahmoud Al; Alshareef, H N; Elshurafa, Amro M; Salama, Khaled N

    2011-01-01

    This work proposes a novel methodology for estimating the power output of piezoelectric generators. An analytical model that estimates for the first time the loss ratio and output power of piezoelectric generators based on the direct mechanical-to-electrical analogy, electromagnetic theory, and power system theory is developed. The mechanical-to-electrical analogy and power system theory allow the derivation of an equivalent input impedance expression for the network, whereas electromagnetic transmission line theory allows deduction of the equivalent electromechanical loss of the piezoelectric generator. By knowing the mechanical input power and the loss of the network, calculation of the output power of the piezoelectric device becomes a straightforward procedure. Experimental results based on published data are also presented to validate the analytical solution. In order to fully benefit from the well-established electromagnetic transmission line and electric circuit theories, further analyses on the resonant frequency, bandwidth, and sensitivity are presented. Compared to the conventional modeling methods currently being adopted in the literature, the proposed method provides significant additional information that is crucial for enhanced device operation and quick performance optimization

  10. Actuation Using Piezoelectric Materials: Application in Augmenters, Energy Harvesters, and Motors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hasenoehrl, Jennifer

    2012-01-01

    Piezoelectric actuators are used in many manipulation, movement, and mobility applications as well as transducers and sensors. When used at the resonance frequencies of the piezoelectric stack, the actuator performs at its maximum actuation capability. In this Space Grant internship, three applications of piezoelectric actuators were investigated including hammering augmenters of rotary drills, energy harvesters, and piezo-motors. The augmenter shows improved drill performance over rotation only. The energy harvesters rely on moving fluid to convert mechanical energy into electrical power. Specific designs allow the harvesters more freedom to move, which creates more power. The motor uses the linear movement of the actuator with a horn applied to the side of a rotor to create rotational motion. Friction inhibits this motion and is to be minimized for best performance. Tests and measurements were made during this internship to determine the requirements for optimal performance of the studied mechanisms and devices.

  11. Electromechanical characteristics of piezoelectric ceramic transformers in radial vibration composed of concentric piezoelectric ceramic disk and ring

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lin, Shuyu; Hu, Jing; Fu, Zhiqiang

    2013-01-01

    A new type of piezoelectric ceramic transformer in radial vibration is presented. The piezoelectric transformer consists of a pairing of a concentric piezoelectric ceramic circular disk and ring. The inner piezoelectric ceramic disk is axially polarized and the outer piezoelectric ring is radially polarized. Based on the plane stress theory, the exact analytical theory for the piezoelectric transformer is developed and its electromechanical equivalent circuit is introduced. The resonance/anti-resonance frequency equations of the transformer are obtained and the relationship between the resonance/anti-resonance frequency, the effective electromechanical coupling coefficient and the geometrical dimensions of the piezoelectric transformer is analyzed. The dependency of the voltage transformation ratio on the frequency is obtained. To verify the analytical theory, a numerical method is used to simulate the electromechanical characteristics of the piezoelectric transformer. It is shown that the analytical resonance/anti-resonance frequencies are in good agreement with the numerical results. (paper)

  12. Hybrid energy harvesting systems, using piezoelectric elements and dielectric polymers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cornogolub, Alexandru; Cottinet, Pierre-Jean; Petit, Lionel

    2016-09-01

    Interest in energy harvesting applications has increased a lot during recent years. This is especially true for systems using electroactive materials like dielectric polymers or piezoelectric materials. Unfortunately, these materials despite multiple advantages, present some important drawbacks. For example, many dielectric polymers demonstrated high energy densities; they are cheap, easy to process and can be easily integrated in many different structures. But at the same time, dielectric polymer generators require an external energy supply which could greatly compromise their autonomy. Piezoelectric systems, on the other hand, are completely autonomous and can be easily miniaturized. However, most common piezoelectric materials present a high rigidity and are brittle by nature and therefore their integration could be difficult. This paper investigates the possibility of using hybrid systems combining piezoelectric elements and dielectric polymers for mechanical energy harvesting applications and it is focused mainly on the problem of electrical energy transfer. Our objective is to show that such systems can be interesting and that it is possible to benefit from the advantages of both materials. For this, different configurations were considered and the problem of their optimization was addressed. The experimental work enabled us to prove the concept and identify the main practical limitations.

  13. A 3D scanning laser endoscope architecture utilizing a circular piezoelectric membrane

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khayatzadeh, Ramin; Çivitci, Fehmi; Ferhanoğlu, Onur

    2017-12-01

    A piezo-scanning fiber endoscopic device architecture is proposed for 3D imaging or ablation. The endoscopic device consists of a piezoelectric membrane that is placed perpendicular to the optical axis, a fiber optic cable that extends out from and actuated by the piezoelectric membrane, and one or multiple lenses for beam delivery and collection. Unlike its counterparts that utilize piezoelectric cylinders for fiber actuation, the proposed architecture offers quasi-static actuation in the axial direction along with resonant actuation in the lateral directions forming a 3D scanning pattern, allowing adjustment of the focus plane. The actuation of the four-quadrant piezoelectric membrane involves driving of two orthogonal electrodes with AC signals for lateral scanning, while simultaneously driving all electrodes for axial scanning and focus adjustment. We have characterized piezoelectric membranes (5 -15mm diameter) with varying sizes to monitor axial displacement behavior with respect to applied DC voltage. We also demonstrate simultaneous lateral and axial actuation on a resolution target, and observe the change of lateral resolution on a selected plane through performing 1D cross-sectional images, as an indicator of focal shift through axial actuation. Based on experimental results, we identify the optical and geometrical parameters for optimal 3D imaging of tissue samples. Our findings reveal that a simple piezoelectric membrane, having comparable dimensions and drive voltage requirement with off-the-shelf MEMS scanner chips, offers tissue epithelial imaging with sub-cellular resolution.

  14. A measurement method for piezoelectric material properties under longitudinal compressive stress–-a compression test method for thin piezoelectric materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kang, Lae-Hyong; Lee, Dae-Oen; Han, Jae-Hung

    2011-01-01

    We introduce a new compression test method for piezoelectric materials to investigate changes in piezoelectric properties under the compressive stress condition. Until now, compression tests of piezoelectric materials have been generally conducted using bulky piezoelectric ceramics and pressure block. The conventional method using the pressure block for thin piezoelectric patches, which are used in unimorph or bimorph actuators, is prone to unwanted bending and buckling. In addition, due to the constrained boundaries at both ends, the observed piezoelectric behavior contains boundary effects. In order to avoid these problems, the proposed method employs two guide plates with initial longitudinal tensile stress. By removing the tensile stress after bonding a piezoelectric material between the guide layers, longitudinal compressive stress is induced in the piezoelectric layer. Using the compression test specimens, two important properties, which govern the actuation performance of the piezoelectric material, the piezoelectric strain coefficients and the elastic modulus, are measured to evaluate the effects of applied electric fields and re-poling. The results show that the piezoelectric strain coefficient d 31 increases and the elastic modulus decreases when high voltage is applied to PZT5A, and the compression in the longitudinal direction decreases the piezoelectric strain coefficient d 31 but does not affect the elastic modulus. We also found that the re-poling of the piezoelectric material increases the elastic modulus, but the piezoelectric strain coefficient d 31 is not changed much (slightly increased) by re-poling

  15. Relaxor-PT Single Crystal Piezoelectric Sensors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaoning Jiang

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Relaxor-PbTiO3 piezoelectric single crystals have been widely used in a broad range of electromechanical devices, including piezoelectric sensors, actuators, and transducers. This paper reviews the unique properties of these single crystals for piezoelectric sensors. Design, fabrication and characterization of various relaxor-PT single crystal piezoelectric sensors and their applications are presented and compared with their piezoelectric ceramic counterparts. Newly applicable fields and future trends of relaxor-PT sensors are also suggested in this review paper.

  16. A geometric parameter study of piezoelectric coverage on a rectangular cantilever energy harvester

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Patel, R; McWilliam, S; Popov, A A

    2011-01-01

    This paper proposes a versatile model for optimizing the performance of a rectangular cantilever beam piezoelectric energy harvester used to convert ambient vibrations into electrical energy. The developed model accounts for geometric changes to the natural frequencies, mode shapes and damping in the structure. This is achieved through the combination of finite element modelling and a distributed parameter electromechanical model, including load resistor and charging capacitor models. The model has the potential for use in investigating the influence of numerous geometric changes on harvester performance, and incorporates a model for accounting for changes in damping as the geometry changes. The model is used to investigate the effects of substrate and piezoelectric layer length, and piezoelectric layer thickness on the performance of a microscale device. Findings from a parameter study indicate the existence of an optimum sample length due to increased mechanical damping for longer beams and improved power output using thicker piezoelectric layers. In practice, harvester design is normally based around a fixed operating frequency for a particular application, and improved performance is often achieved by operating at or near resonance. To achieve unbiased comparisons between different harvester designs, parameter studies are performed by changing multiple parameters simultaneously with the natural frequency held fixed. Performance enhancements were observed using shorter piezoelectric layers as compared to the conventional design, in which the piezoelectric layer and substrate are of equal length

  17. Theoretical Study of the BaTiO3 Powder’s Volume Ratio’s Influence on the Output of Composite Piezoelectric Nanogenerator

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xi Zhou

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The combination of the piezoelectric materials and polymer is an effective way to make the piezoelectric nanogenerator (PENG possess both the polymer’s good flexibility and ferroelectric material’s high piezoelectric coefficient. The volume ratio of ferroelectric material in the composite is an important factor that determines the PENG’s output performance. In this paper, the BaTiO3/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS composite PENG was demonstrated as having an optimal volume ratio (46% at which the PENG can output its highest voltage, and this phenomenon can be ascribed to the trade-off between the composite PENG’s top electrode charge and its capacitance. These results are of practical importance for the composite PENG’s performance optimization.

  18. One-shot Design of Radial Mode Piezoelectric Transformer for Magneticless Power Conversion

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Meyer, Kaspar Sinding; Andersen, Michael A. E.

    2011-01-01

    mathematical problem has been solved, that directly links wanted electrical specifications to the mechanical dimensions of a radial mode piezoelectric transformer. The novel outcome of this study is that the soft switching ability is directly linked to the ratio between the active volume of the primary......Piezoelectric Transformer based resonant power converters are an attractive alternative to magnetic power converters in applications requiring a power level currently less than 100W. Among the benefits are a power density up to 40W/cm3, a low profile, reduced radiated EMI and high system efficiency...... due to zero voltage switching commutation. The main criteria to take advantage of these benefits are, despite the fact that a PT is a piezoelectric capacitor, is optimization the transformer to behave inductively as a means to avoid excessive hard switching losses. With this objective, the inverse...

  19. Structure optimization of a grain impact piezoelectric sensor and its application for monitoring separation losses on tangential-axial combine harvesters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Zhenwei; Li, Yaoming; Zhao, Zhan; Xu, Lizhang

    2015-01-14

    Grain separation losses is a key parameter to weigh the performance of combine harvesters, and also a dominant factor for automatically adjusting their major working parameters. The traditional separation losses monitoring method mainly rely on manual efforts, which require a high labor intensity. With recent advancements in sensor technology, electronics and computational processing power, this paper presents an indirect method for monitoring grain separation losses in tangential-axial combine harvesters in real-time. Firstly, we developed a mathematical monitoring model based on detailed comparative data analysis of different feeding quantities. Then, we developed a grain impact piezoelectric sensor utilizing a YT-5 piezoelectric ceramic as the sensing element, and a signal process circuit designed according to differences in voltage amplitude and rise time of collision signals. To improve the sensor performance, theoretical analysis was performed from a structural vibration point of view, and the optimal sensor structural has been selected. Grain collide experiments have shown that the sensor performance was greatly improved. Finally, we installed the sensor on a tangential-longitudinal axial combine harvester, and grain separation losses monitoring experiments were carried out in North China, which results have shown that the monitoring method was feasible, and the biggest measurement relative error was 4.63% when harvesting rice.

  20. Structure Optimization of a Grain Impact Piezoelectric Sensor and Its Application for Monitoring Separation Losses on Tangential-Axial Combine Harvesters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Zhenwei; Li, Yaoming; Zhao, Zhan; Xu, Lizhang

    2015-01-01

    Grain separation losses is a key parameter to weigh the performance of combine harvesters, and also a dominant factor for automatically adjusting their major working parameters. The traditional separation losses monitoring method mainly rely on manual efforts, which require a high labor intensity. With recent advancements in sensor technology, electronics and computational processing power, this paper presents an indirect method for monitoring grain separation losses in tangential-axial combine harvesters in real-time. Firstly, we developed a mathematical monitoring model based on detailed comparative data analysis of different feeding quantities. Then, we developed a grain impact piezoelectric sensor utilizing a YT-5 piezoelectric ceramic as the sensing element, and a signal process circuit designed according to differences in voltage amplitude and rise time of collision signals. To improve the sensor performance, theoretical analysis was performed from a structural vibration point of view, and the optimal sensor structural has been selected. Grain collide experiments have shown that the sensor performance was greatly improved. Finally, we installed the sensor on a tangential-longitudinal axial combine harvester, and grain separation losses monitoring experiments were carried out in North China, which results have shown that the monitoring method was feasible, and the biggest measurement relative error was 4.63% when harvesting rice. PMID:25594592

  1. Ultrasonic Transducer Fabricated Using Lead-Free BFO-BTO+Mn Piezoelectric 1-3 Composite

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yan Chen

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Mn-doped 0.7BiFeO3-0.3BaTiO3 (BFO-0.3BTO+Mn 1% mol lead-free piezoelectric ceramic were fabricated by traditional solid state reaction. The phase structure, microstructure, and ferroelectric properties were investigated. Additionally, lead-free 1–3 composites with 60% volume fraction of BFO-BTO+Mn ceramic were fabricated for ultrasonic transducer applications by a conventional dice-and-fill method. The BFO-BTO+Mn 1-3 composite has a higher electromechanical coupling coefficient (kt = 46.4% and lower acoustic impedance (Za ~ 18 MRayls compared with that of the ceramic. Based on this, lead-free piezoelectric ceramic composite, single element ultrasonic transducer with a center frequency of 2.54 MHz has been fabricated and characterized. The single element transducer exhibits good performance with a broad bandwidth of 53%. The insertion loss of the transducer was about 33.5 dB.

  2. Development of a hybrid bearing using permanent magnets and piezoelectric actuators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Jung-Ho; Ham, Young-Bog; Yun, So-Nam; Lee, Hu-Seung

    2010-01-01

    In this study, a hybrid magnetic bearing with permanent magnets and piezoelectric actuators is investigated. First, in this study, a novel concept in which piezoelectric actuators are used to compensate for low stiffness and damping resulting from the unstable characteristics of a passive magnetic bearing using only permanent magnets is proposed. Secondly, the permanent magnets are optimally arranged through an electromagnetic field analysis. Then, the driving amplifier unit and a prototype radial bearing using the proposed concept are fabricated. Finally, basic characteristics, such as the results of an impact test and a rotational runout test with constant speed are investigated and discussed, and experiments using PID control method are conducted.

  3. Vibration energy harvesting using piezoelectric unimorph cantilevers with unequal piezoelectric and nonpiezoelectric lengths

    OpenAIRE

    Gao, Xiaotong; Shih, Wei-Heng; Shih, Wan Y.

    2010-01-01

    We have examined a piezoelectric unimorph cantilever (PUC) with unequal piezoelectric and nonpiezoelectric lengths for vibration energy harvesting theoretically by extending the analysis of a PUC with equal piezoelectric and nonpiezoelectric lengths. The theoretical approach was validated by experiments. A case study showed that for a fixed vibration frequency, the maximum open-circuit induced voltage which was important for charge storage for later use occurred with a PUC that had a nonpiezo...

  4. Energy harvesting from vibration using a piezoelectric membrane

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ericka, M.; Vasic, D.; Costa, F.; Tliba, S. [Ecole Normale Superieure de Cachan, Systemes et Applications des Technologies de l' Information et de l' Energie (SATIE, UMR 8029), 94 - Cachan (France); Poulin, G. [Ecole Nationale Superieure d' Ingenieurs Electriciens de Grenoble, Laboratoire d' Automatique de Grenoble, 38 (France)

    2005-09-01

    In this paper we investigate the capability of harvesting the electric energy from mechanical vibrations in a dynamic environment through a piezoelectric membrane transducer. This transducer consists of 2 layers lead zirconate titanate (PZT)/brass, the brass layer is embedded over the whole circumference by epoxy adhesive. A very small vibration gives a consequent deformation of the membrane which generates electric energy. Due to the impedance matrices connecting the efforts and flows of the membrane, we have established the dynamic electric equivalent circuit of the transducer. In a first study and in order to validate theoretical results, we performed experiments with a vibrating machine moving a macroscopic 25 mm diameter piezoelectric membrane. A power of 1.8 mW was generated at the resonance frequency (2.58 kHz) across a 56 k{omega} optimal resistor and for a 2 g acceleration. (authors)

  5. Torsion sensing based on patterned piezoelectric beams

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cha, Youngsu; You, Hangil

    2018-03-01

    In this study, we investigated the sensing characteristics of piezoelectric beams under torsional loads. We used partially patterned piezoelectric beams to sense torsion. In particular, the piezoelectric patches are located symmetrically with respect to the line of the shear center of the beam. The patterned piezoelectric beam is modeled as a slender beam, and its electrical responses are obtained by piezoelectric electromechanical equations. To validate the modeling framework, experiments are performed using a setup that forces pure torsional deformation. Three different geometric configurations of the patterned piezoelectric layer are used for the experiments. The frequency and amplitude of the forced torsional load are systematically varied in order to study the behavior of the piezoelectric sensor. Experimental results demonstrate that two voltage outputs of the piezoelectric beam are approximately out of phase with identical amplitude. Moreover, the length of the piezoelectric layers has a significant influence on the sensing properties. Our theoretical predictions using the model support the experimental findings.

  6. Active Vibration Control of a Railway Vehicle Carbody Using Piezoelectric Elements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molatefi, Habibollah; Ayoubi, Pejman; Mozafari, Hozhabr

    2017-07-01

    In recent years and according to modern transportation development, rail vehicles are manufactured lighter to achieve higher speed and lower transportation costs. On the other hand, weight reduction of rail vehicles leads to increase the structural vibration. In this study, Active Vibration Control of a rail vehicle using piezoelectric elements is investigated. The optimal control employed as the control approach regard to the first two modes of vibration. A simplified Car body structure is modeled in Matlab using the finite element theory by considering six DOF beam element and then the Eigen functions and mode shapes are derived. The surface roughness of different classes of rail tracks have been obtained using random vibration theory and applied to the secondary suspension as the excitation of the structure; Then piezoelectric mounted where the greatest moments were captured. The effectiveness of Piezoelectric in structural vibrations attenuation of car body is demonstrated through the state space equations and its effect on modal coefficient.

  7. Piezoelectric paint: characterization for further applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, C; Fritzen, C-P

    2012-01-01

    Piezoelectric paint is a very attractive piezoelectric composite in many fields, such as non-destructive testing, or structural health monitoring. However, there are still many obstacles which restrict the real application of it. One of the main problems is that piezoelectric paint lacks a standard fabrication procedure, thus characterization is needed before use. The work presented here explores the characterization of piezoelectric paint. It starts with fabrication of samples with certain piezoelectric powder weight percentages. The microstructures of the samples are investigated by a scanning electron microscope; the results indicate that the fabrication method can produce high quality samples. This is followed by measurements of Young’s modulus and sensitivity. The piezoelectric charge constant d 31 is then deduced from the experimental data; the results agree well with a published result, which validates the effectiveness of the fabrication and characterization method. The characterized piezoelectric paint can expand its applications into different fields and therefore becomes a more promising and competitive smart material. (paper)

  8. Piezoelectric Transformers: An Historical Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alfredo Vazquez Carazo

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Piezoelectric transformers (PTs are solid-state devices that transform electrical energy into electrical energy by means of a mechanical vibration. These devices are manufactured using piezoelectric materials that are driven at resonance. With appropriate design and circuitry, it is possible to step up and step down the voltages between the input and output sections of the piezoelectric transformer, without making use of magnetic materials and obtaining excellent conversion efficiencies. The initial concept of a piezoelectric ceramic transformer was proposed by Charles A. Rosen in 1954. Since then, the evolution of piezoelectric transformers through history has been linked to the relevant work of some excellent researchers as well as to the evolution in materials, manufacturing processes, and driving circuit techniques. This paper summarizes the historical evolution of the technology.

  9. A Piezoelectric Shear Stress Sensor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Taeyang; Saini, Aditya; Kim, Jinwook; Gopalarathnam, Ashok; Zhu, Yong; Palmieri, Frank L.; Wohl, Christopher J.; Jiang, Xiaoning

    2016-01-01

    In this paper, a piezoelectric sensor with a floating element was developed for shear stress measurement. The piezoelectric sensor was designed to detect the pure shear stress suppressing effects of normal stress generated from the vortex lift-up by applying opposite poling vectors to the: piezoelectric elements. The sensor was first calibrated in the lab by applying shear forces and it showed high sensitivity to shear stress (=91.3 +/- 2.1 pC/Pa) due to the high piezoelectric coefficients of PMN-33%PT (d31=-1330 pC/N). The sensor also showed almost no sensitivity to normal stress (less than 1.2 pC/Pa) because of the electromechanical symmetry of the device. The usable frequency range of the sensor is 0-800 Hz. Keywords: Piezoelectric sensor, shear stress, floating element, electromechanical symmetry

  10. Active control law design for flutter suppression and gust alleviation of a panel with piezoelectric actuators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahmad Fazelzadeh, S; Mohammad Jafari, S

    2008-01-01

    This paper presents an active optimal integral/feedforward control for a supersonic panel under gust disturbance effects with piezoelectric actuators. Classical laminate theory with induced strain actuation and a generalized form of Hamilton's principle are used to formulate the governing equations of motion. The total charge developed on the sensor layer is calculated from the direct piezoelectric equation. The piezoelectric sensor distributed output is also integrated, since the output voltage is dependent on the integrated strain rates over the sensor area. Aerodynamic modeling is accomplished by first-order piston theory with gust velocity effects. The model reduction is performed to the state space system of equations for the control design and the time domain simulation. Moreover, the disturbance dynamics are modeled through the addition to the equations of motion for various conditions. The optimal control problem is set up to minimize the panel deflection using a linear quadratic regulator (LQR). Using an integral control model as a part of the feedback loop, together with a feedforward of the disturbances, greatly enhances the transient response, and the steady state error characteristics of this system are observed. Also, parametric studies for three piezoelectric actuator configurations are demonstrated. Simulation results show that the controller model is effective for flutter suppression and gust alleviation for various piezo configurations

  11. Investigation of free vibration analysis of functionally graded annular piezoelectric plate using COMSOL

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharma, Trivendra Kumar; Parashar, Sandeep Kumar

    2018-05-01

    In the present age functionally graded piezoelectric materials (FGPM) are increasingly being used as actuators and sensors. In spite of the fact that the piezoelectric coupling coefficient for shear d15 has much higher value in comparison to d31 or d33, it is far less utilized for the applications due to complex nature of the shear induced vibrations. In this work three dimensional free vibration analysis of functionally graded piezoelectric material annular plates with free-free boundary conditions is presented. The annular FGPM plate is polarized along the radial direction while the electric field is applied along the thickness direction inducing flexural vibrations of the plate due to d15 effect of functionally graded piezoelectric materials. The material properties are assumed to have a power law variation along the thickness. COMSOL Multiphysics is used to obtain the natural frequencies and modeshapes. Detailed numerical study is performed to ascertain the effect of variation in power law index and various geometrical parameters. The results presented shall be helpful in optimizing the existing applications and developing the new ones utilizing the FGPM annular plates.

  12. A nanoscale piezoelectric transformer for low-voltage transistors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agarwal, Sapan; Yablonovitch, Eli

    2014-11-12

    A novel piezoelectric voltage transformer for low-voltage transistors is proposed. Placing a piezoelectric transformer on the gate of a field-effect transistor results in the piezoelectric transformer field-effect transistor that can switch at significantly lower voltages than a conventional transistor. The piezoelectric transformer operates by using one piezoelectric to squeeze another piezoelectric to generate a higher output voltage than the input voltage. Multiple piezoelectrics can be used to squeeze a single piezoelectric layer to generate an even higher voltage amplification. Coupled electrical and mechanical modeling in COMSOL predicts a 12.5× voltage amplification for a six-layer piezoelectric transformer. This would lead to more than a 150× reduction in the power needed for communications.

  13. Structural Origins of Silk Piezoelectricity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yucel, Tuna; Cebe, Peggy; Kaplan, David L

    2011-02-22

    Uniaxially oriented, piezoelectric silk films were prepared by a two-step method that involved: (1) air drying aqueous, regenerated silk fibroin solutions into films, and (2) drawing the silk films to a desired draw ratio. The utility of two different drawing techniques, zone drawing and water immersion drawing were investigated for processing the silk for piezoelectric studies. Silk films zone drawn to a ratio of λ= 2.7 displayed relatively high dynamic shear piezoelectric coefficients of d(14) = -1.5 pC/N, corresponding to over two orders of magnitude increase in d(14) due to film drawing. A strong correlation was observed between the increase in the silk II, β-sheet content with increasing draw ratio measured by FTIR spectroscopy (C(β)∝ e(2.5) (λ)), the concomitant increasing degree of orientation of β-sheet crystals detected via WAXD (FWHM = 0.22° for λ= 2.7), and the improvement in silk piezoelectricity (d(14)∝ e(2.4) (λ)). Water immersion drawing led to a predominantly silk I structure with a low degree of orientation (FWHM = 75°) and a much weaker piezoelectric response compared to zone drawing. Similarly, increasing the β-sheet crystallinity without inducing crystal alignment, e.g. by methanol treatment, did not result in a significant enhancement of silk piezoelectricity. Overall, a combination of a high degree of silk II, β-sheet crystallinity and crystalline orientation are prerequisites for a strong piezoelectric effect in silk. Further understanding of the structural origins of silk piezoelectricity will provide important options for future biotechnological and biomedical applications of this protein.

  14. Piezoelectric MEMS: Ferroelectric thin films for MEMS applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kanno, Isaku

    2018-04-01

    In recent years, piezoelectric microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) have attracted attention as next-generation functional microdevices. Typical applications of piezoelectric MEMS are micropumps for inkjet heads or micro-gyrosensors, which are composed of piezoelectric Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZT) thin films and have already been commercialized. In addition, piezoelectric vibration energy harvesters (PVEHs), which are regarded as one of the key devices for Internet of Things (IoT)-related technologies, are promising future applications of piezoelectric MEMS. Significant features of piezoelectric MEMS are their simple structure and high energy conversion efficiency between mechanical and electrical domains even on the microscale. The device performance strongly depends on the function of the piezoelectric thin films, especially on their transverse piezoelectric properties, indicating that the deposition of high-quality piezoelectric thin films is a crucial technology for piezoelectric MEMS. On the other hand, although the difficulty in measuring the precise piezoelectric coefficients of thin films is a serious obstacle in the research and development of piezoelectric thin films, a simple unimorph cantilever measurement method has been proposed to obtain precise values of the direct or converse transverse piezoelectric coefficient of thin films, and recently this method has become to be the standardized testing method. In this article, I will introduce fundamental technologies of piezoelectric thin films and related microdevices, especially focusing on the deposition of PZT thin films and evaluation methods for their transverse piezoelectric properties.

  15. Miniature Piezoelectric Macro-Mass Balance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sherrit, Stewart; Trebi-Ollennu, Ashitey; Bonitz, Robert G.; Bar-Cohen, Yoseph

    2010-01-01

    Mass balances usually use a strain gauge that requires an impedance measurement and is susceptible to noise and thermal drift. A piezoelectric balance can be used to measure mass directly by monitoring the voltage developed across the piezoelectric balance, which is linear with weight or it can be used in resonance to produce a frequency change proportional to the mass change (see figure). The piezoelectric actuator/balance is swept in frequency through its fundamental resonance. If a small mass is added to the balance, the resonance frequency shifts down in proportion to the mass. By monitoring the frequency shift, the mass can be determined. This design allows for two independent measurements of mass. Additionally, more than one sample can be verified because this invention allows for each sample to be transported away from the measuring device upon completion of the measurement, if required. A piezoelectric actuator, or many piezoelectric actuators, was placed between the collection plate of the sampling system and the support structure. As the sample mass is added to the plate, the piezoelectrics are stressed, causing them to produce a voltage that is proportional to the mass and acceleration. In addition, a change in mass delta m produces a change in the resonance frequency with delta f proportional to delta m. In a microgravity environment, the spacecraft could be accelerated to produce a force on the piezoelectric actuator that would produce a voltage proportional to the mass and acceleration. Alternatively, the acceleration could be used to force the mass on the plate, and the inertial effects of the mass on the plate would produce a shift in the resonance frequency with the change in frequency related to the mass change. Three prototypes of the mass balance mechanism were developed. These macro-mass balances each consist of a solid base and an APA 60 Cedrat flextensional piezoelectric actuator supporting a measuring plate. A similar structure with 3 APA

  16. Piezoelectric materials involved in road traffic applications test system; Banco de ensayos para materiales piezoelectricos en aplicaciones viales

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vazquez Rodriguez, M.; Jimenez Martinez, F.; Frutos, J. de

    2011-07-01

    The test bench system described in this paper performs experiments on piezoelectric materials used in road traffic applications, covering a range between 14 and 170 km/h, which is considered enough for testing under standard traffic conditions. A software has been developed to control the three phase induction motor driver and to acquire all the measurement data of the piezoelectric materials. The mass over each systems axis can be selected, with a limit of 60 kg over each wheel. The test bench is used to simulate the real behaviour of buried piezoelectric cables in road traffic applications for both light and heavy vehicles. This new test bed system is a powerful research tool and can be applied to determine the optimal installation and configuration of the piezoelectric cable sensors and opens a new field of research: the study of energy harvesting techniques based on piezoelectric materials. (Author) 10 refs.

  17. Structured Piezoelectric Composites: Materials and Applications

    OpenAIRE

    Van den Ende, D.A.

    2012-01-01

    The piezoelectric effect, which causes a material to generate a voltage when it deforms, is very suitable for making integrated sensors, and (micro-) generators. However, conventional piezoelectric materials are either brittle ceramics or certain polymers with a low thermal stability, which limits their practical application to certain specific fields. Piezoelectric composites, which contain an active piezoelectric (ceramic) phase in a robust polymer matrix, can potentially have better proper...

  18. Modeling of MEMS piezoelectric energy harvesters using electromagnetic and power system theories

    KAUST Repository

    Ahmad, Mahmoud Al

    2012-07-23

    This work proposes a novel methodology for estimating the power output of piezoelectric generators. An analytical model that estimates for the first time the loss ratio and output power of piezoelectric generators based on the direct mechanical-to-electrical analogy, electromagnetic theory, and power system theory is developed. The mechanical-to-electrical analogy and power system theory allow the derivation of an equivalent input impedance expression for the network, whereas electromagnetic transmission line theory allows deduction of the equivalent electromechanical loss of the piezoelectric generator. By knowing the mechanical input power and the loss of the network, calculation of the output power of the piezoelectric device becomes a straightforward procedure. Experimental results based on published data are also presented to validate the analytical solution. In order to fully benefit from the well-established electromagnetic transmission line and electric circuit theories, further analyses on the resonant frequency, bandwidth, and sensitivity are presented. Compared to the conventional modeling methods currently being adopted in the literature, the proposed method provides significant additional information that is crucial for enhanced device operation and quick performance optimization. © 2011 IOP Publishing Ltd.

  19. PSpice Modeling of a Sandwich Piezoelectric Ceramic Ultrasonic Transducer in Longitudinal Vibration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Xiaoyuan; Yang, Yuan; Yao, Wenqing; Zhang, Lei

    2017-09-30

    Sandwiched piezoelectric transducers are widely used, especially in high power applications. For more convenient analysis and design, a PSpice lossy model of sandwiched piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers in longitudinal vibration is proposed by means of the one-dimensional wave and transmission line theories. With the proposed model, the resonance and antiresonance frequencies are obtained, and it is shown that the simulations and measurements have good consistency. For the purpose of further verification the accuracy and application of the PSpice model, a pitch-catch setup and an experimental platform are built. They include two sandwiched piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers and two aluminum cylinders whose lengths are 20 mm and 100 mm respectively. Based on this pitch-catch setup, the impedance and transient analysis are performed. Compared with the measured results, it is shown that the simulated results have good consistency. In addition, the conclusion can be drawn that the optimal excitation frequency for the pitch-catch setup is not necessarily the resonance frequency of ultrasonic transducers, because the resonance frequency is obtained under no load. The proposed PSpice model of the sandwiched piezoelectric transducer is more conveniently applied to combine with other circuits such as driving circuits, filters, amplifiers, and so on.

  20. Elastic properties of spherically anisotropic piezoelectric composites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    En-Bo, Wei; Guo-Qing, Gu; Ying-Ming, Poon

    2010-01-01

    Effective elastic properties of spherically anisotropic piezoelectric composites, whose spherically anisotropic piezoelectric inclusions are embedded in an infinite non-piezoelectric matrix, are theoretically investigated. Analytical solutions for the elastic displacements and the electric potentials under a uniform external strain are derived exactly. Taking into account of the coupling effects of elasticity, permittivity and piezoelectricity, the formula is derived for estimating the effective elastic properties based on the average field theory in the dilute limit. An elastic response mechanism is revealed, in which the effective elastic properties increase as inclusion piezoelectric properties increase and inclusion dielectric properties decrease. Moreover, a piezoelectric response mechanism, of which the effective piezoelectric response vanishes due to the symmetry of spherically anisotropic composite, is also disclosed. (condensed matter: structure, thermal and mechanical properties)

  1. The giant piezoelectric effect: electric field induced monoclinic phase or piezoelectric distortion of the rhombohedral parent?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kisi, E H; Piltz, R O; Forrester, J S; Howard, C J

    2003-01-01

    Lead zinc niobate-lead titanate (PZN-PT) single crystals show very large piezoelectric strains for electric fields applied along the unit cell edges e.g. [001] R . It has been widely reported that this effect is caused by an electric field induced phase transition from rhombohedral (R3m) to monoclinic (Cm or Pm) symmetry in an essentially continuous manner. Group theoretical analysis using the computer program ISOTROPY indicates phase transitions between R3m and Cm (or Pm) must be discontinuous under Landau theory. An analysis of the symmetry of a strained unit cell in R3m and a simple expansion of the piezoelectric strain equation indicate that the piezoelectric distortion due to an electric field along a cell edge in rhombohedral perovskite-based ferroelectrics is intrinsically monoclinic (Cm), even for infinitesimal electric fields. PZN-PT crystals have up to nine times the elastic compliance of other piezoelectric perovskites and it might be expected that the piezoelectric strains are also very large. A field induced phase transition is therefore indistinguishable from the piezoelectric distortion and is neither sufficient nor necessary to understand the large piezoelectric response of PZN-PT

  2. Magnetic plucking of piezoelectric bimorphs for a wearable energy harvester

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pozzi, Michele

    2016-04-01

    A compact and low-profile energy harvester designed to be worn on the outside of the knee-joint is presented. Frequency up-conversion has been widely adopted in recent times to exploit the high frequency response of piezoelectric transducers within environments where only low frequencies are present. Contactless magnetic plucking is here introduced, in a variable reluctance framework, with the aim of improving the mechanical energy transfer into the transducers, which is sub-optimal with contact plucking. FEA and experiments were used to design an optimal arrangement of ferromagnetic teeth to interact with the magnets fixed to the piezoelectric beams. A prototype was made and extensively tested in a knee-joint simulator controlled with gait data available in the literature. Energy and power produced were measured for walking and running steps. A power management unit was developed using off-the-shelf components, permitting the generation of a stable and regulated supply of 26 mW at 3.3 V during walking. Record levels of rectified (unregulated) electrical power of over 50 and 70 mW per walking and running steps, respectively, were measured.

  3. Piezoelectric Transformer Characterization and Application of Electronic Ballast

    OpenAIRE

    Lin, Ray-Lee

    2001-01-01

    The characterization and modeling of piezoelectric transformers are studied and developed for use in electronic ballasts. By replacing conventional L-C resonant tanks with piezoelectric transformers, inductor-less piezoelectric transformer electronic ballasts have been developed for use in fluorescent lamps. The piezoelectric transformer is a combination of piezoelectric actuators as the primary side and piezoelectric transducers as the secondary side, both of which work in longitudinal o...

  4. Piezoelectric Microstructured Fibers via Drawing of Multimaterial Preforms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Xin; Qu, Hang; Skorobogatiy, Maksim

    2017-06-06

    We demonstrate planar laminated piezoelectric generators and piezoelectric microstructured fibers based on BaTiO 3 -polyvinylidene and carbon-loaded-polyethylene materials combinations. The laminated piezoelectric generators were assembled by sandwiching the electrospun BaTiO 3 -polyvinylidene mat between two carbon-loaded-polyethylene films. The piezoelectric microstructured fiber was fabricated via drawing of the multilayer fiber preform, and features a swissroll geometry that have ~10 alternating piezoelectric and conductive layers. Both piezoelectric generators have excellent mechanical durability, and could retain their piezoelectric performance after 3 day's cyclic bend-release tests. Compared to the laminated generators, the piezoelectric fibers are advantageous as they could be directly woven into large-area commercial fabrics. Potential applications of the proposed piezoelectric fibers include micro-power-generation and remote sensing in wearable, automotive and aerospace industries.

  5. Experimental Study on Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting from Vortex-Induced Vibrations and Wake-Induced Vibrations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Min Zhang

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available A rigid circular cylinder with two piezoelectric beams attached on has been tested through vortex-induced vibrations (VIV and wake-induced vibrations (WIV by installing a big cylinder fixed upstream, in order to study the influence of the different flow-induced vibrations (FIV types. The VIV test shows that the output voltage increases with the increases of load resistance; an optimal load resistance exists for the maximum output power. The WIV test shows that the vibration of the small cylinder is controlled by the vortex frequency of the large one. There is an optimal gap of the cylinders that can obtain the maximum output voltage and power. For a same energy harvesting device, WIV has higher power generation capacity; then the piezoelectric output characteristics can be effectively improved.

  6. Piezoelectric transducer array microspeaker

    KAUST Repository

    Carreno, Armando Arpys Arevalo

    2016-12-19

    In this paper we present the fabrication and characterization of a piezoelectric micro-speaker. The speaker is an array of micro-machined piezoelectric membranes, fabricated on silicon wafer using advanced micro-machining techniques. Each array contains 2n piezoelectric transducer membranes, where “n” is the bit number. Every element of the array has a circular shape structure. The membrane is made out four layers: 300nm of platinum for the bottom electrode, 250nm or lead zirconate titanate (PZT), a top electrode of 300nm and a structural layer of 50

  7. Lead-Free Piezoelectrics

    CERN Document Server

    Nahm, Sahn

    2012-01-01

    Ecological restrictions in many parts of the world are demanding the elimination of Pb from all consumer items. At this moment in the piezoelectric ceramics industry, there is no issue of more importance than the transition to lead-free materials. The goal of Lead-Free Piezoelectrics is to provide a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals and developments in the field of lead-free materials and products to leading researchers in the world. The text presents chapters on demonstrated applications of the lead-free materials, which will allow readers to conceptualize the present possibilities and will be useful for both students and professionals conducting research on ferroelectrics, piezoelectrics, smart materials, lead-free materials, and a variety of applications including sensors, actuators, ultrasonic transducers and energy harvesters.

  8. Piezoelectric Vibration Energy Harvesting Device Combined with Damper

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hung-I Lu

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Piezoelectricity is a type of material that enables mechanical energy and electrical energy to be interchangeable, which can be divided into positive piezoelectric effect and inverse piezoelectric effect. The positive piezoelectric effect is that the electric dipole moment of material generates changes when the piezoelectric material is subjected to pressure, resulting in electrical energy. Conversely, the inverse piezoelectric effect is the process of electrical energy converted into mechanical energy.

  9. Resonance analysis of a high temperature piezoelectric disc for sensitivity characterization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bilgunde, Prathamesh N; Bond, Leonard J

    2018-07-01

    Ultrasonic transducers for high temperature (200 °C+) applications are a key enabling technology for advanced nuclear power systems and in a range of chemical and petro-chemical industries. Design, fabrication and optimization of such transducers using piezoelectric materials remains a challenge. In this work, experimental data-based analysis is performed to investigate the fundamental causal factors for the resonance characteristics of a piezoelectric disc at elevated temperatures. The effect of all ten temperature-dependent piezoelectric constants (ε 33 , ε 11 , d 33 , d 31 , d 15 , s 11 , s 12 , s 13 , s 33 , s 44 ) is studied numerically on both the radial and thickness mode resonances of a piezoelectric disc. A sensitivity index is defined to quantify the effect of each of the temperature-dependent coefficients on the resonance modes of the modified lead zirconium titanate disc. The temperature dependence of s 33 showed highest sensitivity towards the thickness resonance mode followed by ε 33 , s 11 , s 13 , s 12 , d 31 , d 33 , s 44 , ε 11 , and d 15 in the decreasing order of the sensitivity index. For radial resonance modes, the temperature dependence of ε 33 showed highest sensitivity index followed by s 11 , s 12 and d 31 coefficient. This numerical study demonstrates that the magnitude of d 33 is not the sole factor that affects the resonance characteristics of the piezoelectric disc at high temperatures. It appears that there exists a complex interplay between various temperature dependent piezoelectric coefficients that causes reduction in the thickness mode resonance frequencies which is found to be agreement in with the experimental data at an elevated temperature. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. A Portable Piezoelectric Tactile Terminal for Braille Readers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ramiro Velázquez

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper introduces a novel concept on reading assistive technologies for the blind: the TactoBook, a system that is able to translate entire electronic books (eBooks to Braille code and to reproduce them in portable electronic Braille terminals. The TactoBook consists of a computer-based translator that converts fast and automatically any eBook into Braille. The Braille version of the eBook is then encrypted as a file and stored in a USB memory drive which is later inserted and reproduced in a compact, lightweight, and highly-portable tactile terminal. In particular, this paper presents a piezoelectric ultrasonic actuation approach to design and implement such portable Braille terminal. Actuating mechanism, design concept, first prototype, and performance results are presented and discussed.

  11. Piezoelectric Transformers: An Historical Review

    OpenAIRE

    Alfredo Vazquez Carazo

    2016-01-01

    Piezoelectric transformers (PTs) are solid-state devices that transform electrical energy into electrical energy by means of a mechanical vibration. These devices are manufactured using piezoelectric materials that are driven at resonance. With appropriate design and circuitry, it is possible to step up and step down the voltages between the input and output sections of the piezoelectric transformer, without making use of magnetic materials and obtaining excellent conversion efficiencies. The...

  12. The direct piezoelectric effect in the globular protein lysozyme

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stapleton, A.; Noor, M. R.; Sweeney, J.; Casey, V.; Kholkin, A. L.; Silien, C.; Gandhi, A. A.; Soulimane, T.; Tofail, S. A. M.

    2017-10-01

    Here, we present experimental evidence of the direct piezoelectric effect in the globular protein, lysozyme. Piezoelectric materials are employed in many actuating and sensing applications because they can convert mechanical energy into electrical energy and vice versa. Although originally studied in inorganic materials, several biological materials including amino acids and bone, also exhibit piezoelectricity. The exact mechanisms supporting biological piezoelectricity are not known, nor is it known whether biological piezoelectricity conforms strictly to the criteria of classical piezoelectricity. The observation of piezoelectricity in protein crystals presented here links biological piezoelectricity with the classical theory of piezoelectricity. We quantify the direct piezoelectric effect in monoclinic and tetragonal aggregate films of lysozyme using conventional techniques based on the Berlincourt Method. The largest piezoelectric effect measured in a crystalline aggregate film of lysozyme was approximately 6.5 pC N-1. These findings raise fundamental questions as to the possible physiological significance of piezoelectricity in lysozyme and the potential for technical applications.

  13. Touching force response of the piezoelectric Braille cell.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smithmaitrie, Pruittikorn; Kanjantoe, Jinda; Tandayya, Pichaya

    2008-11-01

    The objective of this research is to investigate dynamic responses of the piezoelectric Braille cell when it is subjected to both electrical signal and touching force. Physical behavior of the piezoelectric actuator inside the piezoelectric Braille cell is analyzed. The mathematical model of the piezoelectric Braille system is presented. Then, data of visually impaired people using a Braille Note is studied as design information and a reference input for calculation of the piezoelectric Braille response under the touching force. The results show dynamic responses of the piezoelectric Braille cell. The designed piezoelectric bimorph has a settling time of 0.15 second. The relationship between the Braille dot height and applied voltage is linear. The behavior of the piezoelectric Braille dot when it is touched during operation shows that the dot height is decreased as the force increases. The result provides understanding of the piezoelectric Braille cell behavior under both touching force and electrical excitation simultaneously. This is the important issue for the design and development of piezoelectric Braille cells in senses of controlling Braille dot displacement or force-feedback in the future.

  14. Base Metal Co-Fired Multilayer Piezoelectrics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lisheng Gao

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Piezoelectrics have been widely used in different kinds of applications, from the automobile industry to consumer electronics. The novel multilayer piezoelectrics, which are inspired by multilayer ceramic capacitors, not only minimize the size of the functional parts, but also maximize energy efficiency. Development of multilayer piezoelectric devices is at a significant crossroads on the way to achieving low costs, high efficiency, and excellent reliability. Concerning the costs of manufacturing multilayer piezoelectrics, the trend is to replace the costly noble metal internal electrodes with base metal materials. This paper discusses the materials development of metal co-firing and the progress of integrating current base metal chemistries. There are some significant considerations in metal co-firing multilayer piezoelectrics: retaining stoichiometry with volatile Pb and alkaline elements in ceramics, the selection of appropriate sintering agents to lower the sintering temperature with minimum impact on piezoelectric performance, and designing effective binder formulation for low pO2 burnout to prevent oxidation of Ni and Cu base metal.

  15. High-performance piezoelectric nanogenerators for self-powered nanosystems: quantitative standards and figures of merit

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Wenzhuo

    2016-03-01

    Harvesting energies from the atmosphere cost-effectively is critical for both addressing worldwide long-term energy needs at the macro-scale, and achieving the sustainable maintenance-free operation of nanodevices at the micro-scale (Wang and Wu 2012 Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 51 11700-21). Piezoelectric nanogenerator (NG) technology has demonstrated its great application potential in harvesting the ubiquitous and abundant mechanical energy. Despite of the progress made in this rapidly-advancing field, a fundamental understanding and common standard for consistently quantifying and evaluating the performance of the various types of piezoelectric NGs is still lacking. In their recent study Crossley and Kar-Narayan (2015 Nanotechnology 26 344001), systematically investigated dynamical properties of piezoelectric NGs by taking into account the effect of driving mechanism and load frequency on NG performance. They further defined the NGs’ figures of merit as energy harvested normalized by applied strain or stress for NGs under strain-driven or stress-driven conditions, which are commonly seen in the vibrational energy harvesting. This work provides new insight and a feasible approach for consistently evaluating piezoelectric nanomaterials and NG devices, which is important for designing and optimizing nanoscale piezoelectric energy harvesters, as well as promoting their applications in emerging areas e.g. the internet of things, wearable devices, and self-powered nanosystems.

  16. Modeling and Tuning for Vibration Energy Harvesting using a Piezoelectric Bimorph

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Yongqing

    the modeling of piezoelectric generator, different methods are employed to modeling the coupled dynamics of a piezoelectric bimorph on a vibrating beam as well as a simple piezoelectric bimorph cantilever. The modeling of piezoelectric bimorph as an alternative current (AC) source with internal capacitance and resistance is used to analyze a piezoelectric bimorph cantilever and to calculate the optimal external load resistance for maximal power output. The couple dynamics method based on Hamilton's Principle is applied in the modeling of the piezoelectric bimorph on a vibrating beam. Impulse response experiment shows this method has a better estimation of the experimental results than the curvature model. The coupled dynamics model is also applied to piezoelectric bimorph cantilever and the external load resistance is also determined by this to maximize the power output. The finite element equations for the piezoelectric materials in the element domain are theoretically derived. The procedure of modeling a piezoelectric on a vibrating beam is demonstrated base on the package of ANSYS. The frequency response of ZnO nanowires with different dimensions is derived analytically for ambient mediums with different damping ratios. With help from nano research lab of Dr. Yong Zhu and the student Feng Xu, an experiment is conducted which indentifies the first modal frequency of ZnO nanowires with different dimensions. The experimental modal frequencies are compared with the numerical results. The influence of the thickness of deposit on the modal frequency is also investigated by finite element modeling.

  17. Low voltage aluminium anodes. Optimization of the insert-anode bond

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Le Guyader, Herve; Debout, Valerie; Grolleau, Anne-Marie [DCN Cherbourg, Departement 2EI, Place Bruat, BP 440, 50104 Cherbourg-Octeville (France); Pautasso, Jean-Pierre [DGA/CTA 16 bis, avenue Prieur de la Cote D' Or, 94 114 Arcueil Cedex (France)

    2004-07-01

    Zinc or Al/Zn/In sacrificial anodes are widely used to protect submerged marine structures from corrosion. Their Open Circuit Potential range from - 1 V vs. Ag/AgCl for Zn anodes to -1.1 V vs. Ag/AgCl for Al/Zn/In. These potentials are sufficiently electronegative as to reduce the threshold for stress corrosion cracking and/or hydrogen embrittlement, KISCC, especially in the presence of high strength alloys. In the 90's, an extensive research programme was initiated by DGA/DCN to implement a new low voltage material. Laboratory and full scale marine tests performed on industrial castings, as previously reported, led to the development of a new patented Al- 0.1%Ga alloy having a working potential of - 0.80 to - 0.83 V vs. Ag/AgCl. This alloy was also evaluated at full scale at the Naval Research Laboratory anode qualification site in Key West, Fl, and gave satisfactory results. Around 500 cylindrical AlGa anodes were then installed on a submerged marine structure replacing the classical zinc anode. A first inspection, carried out after a few months of service, showed that some of the anodes had not operated as expected, which led to further investigations. The examinations performed indicated that the problem was due to a bad metallurgical compatibility between the insert and the sacrificial materials inducing a poor bond between the anode and the plain rod insert. Progressive loss of contact between the anode and the structure to be protected was then induced by penetration of sea water and corrosion at the anode-insert interface. This phenomenon was aggravated by seawater pressure. Additional studies were therefore launched with two aims: (1) find temporary remedies for the anodes already installed on the structure; (2) correct the anode original design and/or manufacturing process to achieve the maximum performance on new anodes lots. This paper describes the various solutions investigated to improve the insert-anode bond: design of the anode, rugosity and

  18. Chatter reduction in boring process by using piezoelectric shunt damping with experimental verification

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yigit, Ufuk; Cigeroglu, Ender; Budak, Erhan

    2017-09-01

    Chatter is a self-excited type of vibration that develops during machining due to process-structure dynamic interactions resulting in modulated chip thickness. Chatter is an important problem as it results in poor surface quality, reduced productivity and tool life. The stability of a cutting process is strongly influenced by the frequency response function (FRF) at the cutting point. In this study, the effect of piezoelectric shunt damping on chatter vibrations in a boring process is studied. In piezoelectric shunt damping method, an electrical impedance is connected to a piezoelectric transducer which is bonded on cutting tool. Electrical impedance of the circuit consisting of piezoceramic transducer and passive shunt is tuned to the desired natural frequency of the cutting tool in order to maximize damping. The optimum damping is achieved in analytical and finite element models (FEM) by using a genetic algorithm focusing on the real part of the tool point FRF rather than the amplitude. Later, a practical boring bar is considered where the optimum circuit parameters are obtained by the FEM. Afterwards, the effect of the optimized piezoelectric shunt damping on the dynamic rigidity and absolute stability limit of the cutting process are investigated experimentally by modal analysis and cutting tests. It is both theoretically and experimentally shown that application of piezoelectric shunt damping results in a significant increase in the absolute stability limit in boring operations.

  19. Piezoelectric wave motor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yerganian, Simon Scott

    2001-07-17

    A piezoelectric motor having a stator in which piezoelectric elements are contained in slots formed in the stator transverse to the desired wave motion. When an electric field is imposed on the elements, deformation of the elements imposes a force perpendicular to the sides of the slot, deforming the stator. Appropriate frequency and phase shifting of the electric field will produce a wave in the stator and motion in a rotor. In a preferred aspect, the piezoelectric elements are configured so that deformation of the elements in direction of an imposed electric field, generally referred to as the d.sub.33 direction, is utilized to produce wave motion in the stator. In a further aspect, the elements are compressed into the slots so as to minimize tensile stresses on the elements in use.

  20. Piezoelectric energy harvesting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Howells, Christopher A

    2009-01-01

    Piezoelectric materials can be used to convert oscillatory mechanical energy into electrical energy. This technology, together with innovative mechanical coupling designs, can form the basis for harvesting energy from mechanical motion. Piezoelectric energy can be harvested to convert walking motion from the human body into electrical power. Recently four proof-of-concept Heel Strike Units were developed where each unit is essentially a small electric generator that utilizes piezoelectric elements to convert mechanical motion into electrical power in the form factor of the heel of a boot. The results of the testing and evaluation and the performance of this small electric generator are presented. The generator's conversion of mechanical motion into electrical power, the processes it goes through to produce useable power and commercial applications of the Heel Strike electric generator are discussed.

  1. Modeling and Analysis of a Piezoelectric Energy Harvester with Varying Cross-Sectional Area

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maiara Rosa

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper reports on the modeling and on the experimental verification of electromechanically coupled beams with varying cross-sectional area for piezoelectric energy harvesting. The governing equations are formulated using the Rayleigh-Ritz method and Euler-Bernoulli assumptions. A load resistance is considered in the electrical domain for the estimate of the electric power output of each geometric configuration. The model is first verified against the analytical results for a rectangular bimorph with tip mass reported in the literature. The experimental verification of the model is also reported for a tapered bimorph cantilever with tip mass. The effects of varying cross-sectional area and tip mass on the electromechanical behavior of piezoelectric energy harvesters are also discussed. An issue related to the estimation of the optimal load resistance (that gives the maximum power output on beam shape optimization problems is also discussed.

  2. Ferroelectric and piezoelectric thin films and their applications for integrated capacitors, piezoelectric ultrasound transducers and piezoelectric switches

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Klee, M; Boots, H; Kumar, B; Heesch, C van; Mauczok, R; Keur, W; Wild, M de; Esch, H van; Roest, A L; Reimann, K; Leuken, L van; Wunnicke, O; Zhao, J; Schmitz, G; Mienkina, M; Mleczko, M; Tiggelman, M

    2010-01-01

    Ferroelectric and piezoelectric thin films are gaining more and more importance for the integration of high performance devices in small modules. High-K 'Integrated Discretes' devices have been developed, which are based on thin film ferroelectric capacitors integrated together with resistors and ESD protection diodes in a small Si-based chip-scale package. Making use of ferroelectric thin films with relative permittivity of 950-1600 and stacking processes of capacitors, extremely high capacitance densities of 20-520 nF/mm 2 , high breakdown voltages up to 140 V and lifetimes of more than 10 years at operating voltages of 5 V and 85 deg. C are achieved. Thin film high-density capacitors play also an important role as tunable capacitors for applications such as tuneable matching circuits for RF sections of mobile phones. The performance of thin film tuneable capacitors at frequencies between 1 MHz and 1 GHz is investigated. Finally thin film piezoelectric ultrasound transducers, processed in Si- related processes, are attractive for medical imaging, since they enable large bandwidth (>100%), high frequency operation and have the potential to integrate electronics. With these piezoelectric thin film ultrasound transducers real time ultrasound images have been realized. Finally, piezoelectric thin films are used to manufacture galvanic MEMS switches. A model for the quasi-static mechanical behaviour is presented and compared with measurements.

  3. Structure-Property Study of Piezoelectricity in Polyimides

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ounaies, Zoubeida; Park, Cheol; Harrison, Joycelyn S.; Smith, Joseph G.; Hinkley, Jeffrey

    1999-01-01

    High performance piezoelectric polymers are of interest to NASA as they may be useful for a variety of sensor applications. Over the past few years research on piezoelectric polymers has led to the development of promising high temperature piezoelectric responses in some novel polyimides. In this study, a series of polyimides have been studied with systematic variations in the diamine monomers that comprise the polyimide while holding the dianhydride constant. The effect of structural changes, including variations in the nature and concentration of dipolar groups, on the remanent polarization and piezoelectric coefficient is examined. Fundamental structure-piezoelectric property insight will enable the molecular design of polymers possessing distinct improvements over state-of-the-art piezoelectric polymers including enhanced polarization, polarization stability at elevated temperatures, and improved processability.

  4. Piezoelectric Structures and Low Power Generation Devices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Irinela CHILIBON

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available A short overview of different piezoelectric structures and devices for generating renewable electricity under mechanical actions is presented. A vibrating piezoelectric device differs from a typical electrical power source in that it has capacitive rather than inductive source impedance, and may be driven by mechanical vibrations of varying amplitude. Several techniques have been developed to extract energy from the environment. Generally, “vibration energy” could be converted into electrical energy by three techniques: electrostatic charge, magnetic fields and piezoelectric. Mechanical resonance frequency of piezoelectric bimorph transducers depends on geometric size (length, width, and thickness of each layer, and the piezoelectric coefficients of the piezoelectric material. Manufacturing processes and intended applications of several energy harvesting devices are presented.

  5. Piezoelectric Ceramics Characterization

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Jordan, T

    2001-01-01

    ... the behavior of a piezoelectric material. We have attempted to cover the most common measurement methods as well as introduce parameters of interest. Excellent sources for more in-depth coverage of specific topics can be found in the bibliography. In most cases, we refer to lead zirconate titanate (PZT) to illustrate some of the concepts since it is the most widely used and studied piezoelectric ceramic to date.

  6. Contactless ultrasonic energy transfer for wireless systems: acoustic-piezoelectric structure interaction modeling and performance enhancement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shahab, S; Erturk, A

    2014-01-01

    There are several applications of wireless electronic components with little or no ambient energy available to harvest, yet wireless battery charging for such systems is still of great interest. Example applications range from biomedical implants to sensors located in hazardous environments. Energy transfer based on the propagation of acoustic waves at ultrasonic frequencies is a recently explored alternative that offers increased transmitter-receiver distance, reduced loss and the elimination of electromagnetic fields. As this research area receives growing attention, there is an increased need for fully coupled model development to quantify the energy transfer characteristics, with a focus on the transmitter, receiver, medium, geometric and material parameters. We present multiphysics modeling and case studies of the contactless ultrasonic energy transfer for wireless electronic components submerged in fluid. The source is a pulsating sphere, and the receiver is a piezoelectric bar operating in the 33-mode of piezoelectricity with a fundamental resonance frequency above the audible frequency range. The goal is to quantify the electrical power delivered to the load (connected to the receiver) in terms of the source strength. Both the analytical and finite element models have been developed for the resulting acoustic-piezoelectric structure interaction problem. Resistive and resistive–inductive electrical loading cases are presented, and optimality conditions are discussed. Broadband power transfer is achieved by optimal resistive-reactive load tuning for performance enhancement and frequency-wise robustness. Significant enhancement of the power output is reported due to the use of a hard piezoelectric receiver (PZT-8) instead of a soft counterpart (PZT-5H) as a result of reduced material damping. The analytical multiphysics modeling approach given in this work can be used to predict and optimize the coupled system dynamics with very good accuracy and

  7. PSpice Modeling of a Sandwich Piezoelectric Ceramic Ultrasonic Transducer in Longitudinal Vibration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaoyuan Wei

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Sandwiched piezoelectric transducers are widely used, especially in high power applications. For more convenient analysis and design, a PSpice lossy model of sandwiched piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers in longitudinal vibration is proposed by means of the one-dimensional wave and transmission line theories. With the proposed model, the resonance and antiresonance frequencies are obtained, and it is shown that the simulations and measurements have good consistency. For the purpose of further verification the accuracy and application of the PSpice model, a pitch-catch setup and an experimental platform are built. They include two sandwiched piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers and two aluminum cylinders whose lengths are 20 mm and 100 mm respectively. Based on this pitch-catch setup, the impedance and transient analysis are performed. Compared with the measured results, it is shown that the simulated results have good consistency. In addition, the conclusion can be drawn that the optimal excitation frequency for the pitch-catch setup is not necessarily the resonance frequency of ultrasonic transducers, because the resonance frequency is obtained under no load. The proposed PSpice model of the sandwiched piezoelectric transducer is more conveniently applied to combine with other circuits such as driving circuits, filters, amplifiers, and so on.

  8. Preliminary investigations of piezoelectric based LED luminary

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Dennis; Andersen, Michael A. E.; Meyer, Kaspar Sinding

    2011-01-01

    , modulation schemes, LEDs and LED driving conditions are analyzed. A prototype radial mode PT optimized for ZVS (Zero Voltage Switching) is designed. FEM (Final Element Method) and measurements validates the PT design. A prototype PT based AC/DC converter operating from european mains is proposed......This paper presents a preliminary study of PT (Piezoelectric Transformer) based SMPS’s (Switch Mode Power Supplies) for LED luminary. The unique properties of PTs (efficiency, power density and EMI) make them highly suitable for this application. Power stage topologies, rectifiers circuits...

  9. Using Diffusion Bonding in Making Piezoelectric Actuators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sager, Frank E.

    2003-01-01

    A technique for the fabrication of piezoelectric actuators that generate acceptably large forces and deflections at relatively low applied voltages involves the stacking and diffusion bonding of multiple thin piezoelectric layers coated with film electrodes. The present technique stands in contrast to an older technique in which the layers are bonded chemically, by use of urethane or epoxy agents. The older chemical-bonding technique entails several disadvantages, including the following: It is difficult to apply the bonding agents to the piezoelectric layers. It is difficult to position the layers accurately and without making mistakes. There is a problem of disposal of hazardous urethane and epoxy wastes. The urethane and epoxy agents are nonpiezoelectric materials. As such, they contribute to the thickness of a piezoelectric laminate without contributing to its performance; conversely, for a given total thickness, the performance of the laminate is below that of a unitary piezoelectric plate of the same thickness. The figure depicts some aspects of the fabrication of a laminated piezoelectric actuator by the present diffusion- bonding technique. First, stock sheets of the piezoelectric material are inspected and tested. Next, the hole pattern shown in the figure is punched into the sheets. Alternatively, if the piezoelectric material is not a polymer, then the holes are punched in thermoplastic films. Then both faces of each punched piezoelectric sheet or thermoplastic film are coated with a silver-ink electrode material by use of a silkscreen printer. The electrode and hole patterns are designed for minimal complexity and minimal waste of material. After a final electrical test, all the coated piezoelectric layers (or piezoelectric layers and coated thermoplastic films) are stacked in an alignment jig, which, in turn, is placed in a curved press for the diffusion-bonding process. In this process, the stack is pressed and heated at a specified curing temperature

  10. High-Fidelity Piezoelectric Audio Device

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woodward, Stanley E.; Fox, Robert L.; Bryant, Robert G.

    2003-01-01

    ModalMax is a very innovative means of harnessing the vibration of a piezoelectric actuator to produce an energy efficient low-profile device with high-bandwidth high-fidelity audio response. The piezoelectric audio device outperforms many commercially available speakers made using speaker cones. The piezoelectric device weighs substantially less (4 g) than the speaker cones which use magnets (10 g). ModalMax devices have extreme fabrication simplicity. The entire audio device is fabricated by lamination. The simplicity of the design lends itself to lower cost. The piezoelectric audio device can be used without its acoustic chambers and thereby resulting in a very low thickness of 0.023 in. (0.58 mm). The piezoelectric audio device can be completely encapsulated, which makes it very attractive for use in wet environments. Encapsulation does not significantly alter the audio response. Its small size (see Figure 1) is applicable to many consumer electronic products, such as pagers, portable radios, headphones, laptop computers, computer monitors, toys, and electronic games. The audio device can also be used in automobile or aircraft sound systems.

  11. A Capacitance-Based Methodology for the Estimation of Piezoelectric Coefficients of Poled Piezoelectric Materials

    KAUST Repository

    Al Ahmad, Mahmoud; Alshareef, Husam N.

    2010-01-01

    A methodology is proposed to estimate the piezoelectric coefficients of bulk piezoelectric materials using simple capacitance measurements. The extracted values of d33 and d31 from the capacitance measurements were 506 pC/N and 247 p

  12. Piezoelectric business optimization for use in energy systems harvesting; Optimizacion de piezoelectricos comerciales para su uso en sistemas de Energy Harvesting

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jimenez Martinez, F. J.; Frutos, J. de; Alonso, D.; Vazquez, M.

    2015-07-01

    In this work, commercial piezoelectric materials are electro mechanically characterized, in different configurations for potential use in harvesting devices of mechanical energy, in order to store and use in the feeding of low power electronic systems. Optimization models considering two different types of mechanical energy are proposed: one for capture energy from continuous vibration, even low intensity and other for capture energy from impacts. Different configurations are discussed, and the feasibility of the models presented is analyzed by frequency vibration systems controlled and a test simulation of passing vehicles, designed and patented by POEMMA R and D group. Everyday applications in which devices in the configurations described may be used are listed. (Author)

  13. Properties of Love waves in a piezoelectric layered structure with a viscoelastic guiding layer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Jiansheng; Wang, Lijun; Lu, Yanyan; He, Shitang

    2013-01-01

    A theoretical method is developed for analyzing Love waves in a structure with a viscoelastic guiding layer bounded on a piezoelectric substrate. The dispersion equation previously derived for piezoelectric Love waves propagating in the layered structure with an elastic layer is adopted for analyzing a structure with a viscoelastic layer. A Maxwell–Weichert model is introduced to describe the shear stiffness of a polymeric material. Newton’s method is employed for the numerical calculation. The dispersion equation for piezoelectric–elastic Love waves is proved suitable for solving a structure with a viscoelastic layer on a piezoelectric substrate. The theoretical results indicate that the propagation velocity of the Love wave is mainly decided by the shear stiffness of the guiding layer, whereas the propagation loss is approximately proportional to its viscosity. A detailed experimental study was conducted on a Love wave delay line fabricated on an ST-90° X quartz substrate and overlaid with various thicknesses of SU-8 guiding layers. A tail-raising caused by the viscosity of the guiding layer existed in both the calculated and the measured propagation velocities. The calculated insertion loss of the Love wave delay lines was in good agreement with the measured results. The method and the results presented in this paper are beneficial to the design of Love wave sensors with a viscoelastic guiding layer. (paper)

  14. Piezoelectric energy harvesting

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Howells, Christopher A [Power Technology Branch, US Army, CERDEC, C2D, Ft. Belvoir, VA 22060-5816 (United States)

    2009-07-15

    Piezoelectric materials can be used to convert oscillatory mechanical energy into electrical energy. This technology, together with innovative mechanical coupling designs, can form the basis for harvesting energy from mechanical motion. Piezoelectric energy can be harvested to convert walking motion from the human body into electrical power. Recently four proof-of-concept Heel Strike Units were developed where each unit is essentially a small electric generator that utilizes piezoelectric elements to convert mechanical motion into electrical power in the form factor of the heel of a boot. The results of the testing and evaluation and the performance of this small electric generator are presented. The generator's conversion of mechanical motion into electrical power, the processes it goes through to produce useable power and commercial applications of the Heel Strike electric generator are discussed. (author)

  15. Piezoelectricity in polymers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kepler, R.G.; Anderson, R.A.

    1980-01-01

    Piezoelectricity and related properties of polymers are reviewed. After presenting a historical overview of the field, the mathematical basis of piezo- and pyroelectricity is summarized. We show how the experimentally measured quantities are related to the changes in polarization and point out the serious inequlity between direct and converse piezoelectric coefficients in polymers. Theoretical models of the various origins of piezo- and pyroelectricity, which include piezoelectricity due to inhomogeneous material properties and strains, are reviewed. Relaxational effects are also considered. Experimental techniques are examined and the results for different materials are presented. Because of the considerable work in recent years polyimylidene fluoride, this polymer receives the majority of the attention. The numerous applications of piezo-and pyroelectric polymers are mentioned. This article concludes with a discussion of the possible role of piezo- and pyroelectricity in biological system

  16. Model Design of Piezoelectric Micromachined Modal Gyroscope

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaojun Hu

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper reports a novel kind of solid-state microgyroscope, which is called piezoelectric micromachined modal gyroscope (PMMG. PMMG has large stiffness and robust resistance to shake and strike because there is no evident mass-spring component in its structure. This work focused on quantitative optimization of the gyroscope, which is still blank for such gyroscope. The modal analysis by the finite element method (FEM was firstly conducted. A set of quantitative indicators were developed to optimize the operation mode. By FEM, the harmonic analysis was conducted to find the way to efficiently actuate the operational mode needed. The optimal configuration of driving electrodes was obtained. At last, the Coriolis analysis was conducted to show the relation between angular velocity and differential output voltage by the Coriolis force under working condition. The results obtained in this paper provide theoretical basis for realizing this novel kind of micromachined gyroscope.

  17. Strong piezoelectricity in bioinspired peptide nanotubes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kholkin, Andrei; Amdursky, Nadav; Bdikin, Igor; Gazit, Ehud; Rosenman, Gil

    2010-02-23

    We show anomalously strong shear piezoelectric activity in self-assembled diphenylalanine peptide nanotubes (PNTs), indicating electric polarization directed along the tube axis. Comparison with well-known piezoelectric LiNbO(3) and lateral signal calibration yields sufficiently high effective piezoelectric coefficient values of at least 60 pm/V (shear response for tubes of approximately 200 nm in diameter). PNTs demonstrate linear deformation without irreversible degradation in a broad range of driving voltages. The results open up a wide avenue for developing new generations of "green" piezoelectric materials and piezonanodevices based on bioactive tubular nanostructures potentially compatible with human tissue.

  18. Orthotropic Piezoelectricity in 2D Nanocellulose.

    Science.gov (United States)

    García, Y; Ruiz-Blanco, Yasser B; Marrero-Ponce, Yovani; Sotomayor-Torres, C M

    2016-10-06

    The control of electromechanical responses within bonding regions is essential to face frontier challenges in nanotechnologies, such as molecular electronics and biotechnology. Here, we present Iβ-nanocellulose as a potentially new orthotropic 2D piezoelectric crystal. The predicted in-layer piezoelectricity is originated on a sui-generis hydrogen bonds pattern. Upon this fact and by using a combination of ab-initio and ad-hoc models, we introduce a description of electrical profiles along chemical bonds. Such developments lead to obtain a rationale for modelling the extended piezoelectric effect originated within bond scales. The order of magnitude estimated for the 2D Iβ-nanocellulose piezoelectric response, ~pm V -1 , ranks this material at the level of currently used piezoelectric energy generators and new artificial 2D designs. Such finding would be crucial for developing alternative materials to drive emerging nanotechnologies.

  19. Orthotropic Piezoelectricity in 2D Nanocellulose

    Science.gov (United States)

    García, Y.; Ruiz-Blanco, Yasser B.; Marrero-Ponce, Yovani; Sotomayor-Torres, C. M.

    2016-10-01

    The control of electromechanical responses within bonding regions is essential to face frontier challenges in nanotechnologies, such as molecular electronics and biotechnology. Here, we present Iβ-nanocellulose as a potentially new orthotropic 2D piezoelectric crystal. The predicted in-layer piezoelectricity is originated on a sui-generis hydrogen bonds pattern. Upon this fact and by using a combination of ab-initio and ad-hoc models, we introduce a description of electrical profiles along chemical bonds. Such developments lead to obtain a rationale for modelling the extended piezoelectric effect originated within bond scales. The order of magnitude estimated for the 2D Iβ-nanocellulose piezoelectric response, ~pm V-1, ranks this material at the level of currently used piezoelectric energy generators and new artificial 2D designs. Such finding would be crucial for developing alternative materials to drive emerging nanotechnologies.

  20. Recent Advances in the Control of Piezoelectric Actuators

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ziqiang Chi

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available The micro/nano positioning field has made great progress towards enabling the advance of micro/nano technology. Micro/nano positioning stages actuated by piezoelectric actuators are the key devices in micro/nano manipulation. The control of piezoelectric actuators has emerged as a hot topic in recent years. Piezoelectric materials have inherent hysteresis and creep nonlinearity, which can reduce the accuracy of the manipulation, even causing the instability of the whole system. Remarkable efforts have been made to compensate for the nonlinearity of piezoelectric actuation through the mathematical modelling and control approaches. This paper provides a review of recent advances on the control of piezoelectric actuators. After a brief introduction of basic components of typical piezoelectric micro/nano positioning platforms, the working principle and modelling of piezoelectric actuators are outlined in this paper. This is followed with the major control method and recent progress is presented in detail. Finally, some open issues and future work on the control of piezoelectric actuators are extensively discussed.

  1. Nonlinear kinematics for piezoelectricity in ALEGRA-EMMA.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mitchell, John Anthony; Fuller, Timothy Jesse

    2013-09-01

    This report develops and documents nonlinear kinematic relations needed to implement piezoelectric constitutive models in ALEGRA-EMMA [5], where calculations involving large displacements and rotations are routine. Kinematic relationships are established using Gausss law and Faradays law; this presentation on kinematics goes beyond piezoelectric materials and is applicable to all dielectric materials. The report then turns to practical details of implementing piezoelectric models in an application code where material principal axes are rarely aligned with user defined problem coordinate axes. This portion of the report is somewhat pedagogical but is necessary in order to establish documentation for the piezoelectric implementation in ALEGRA-EMMA. This involves transforming elastic, piezoelectric, and permittivity moduli from material principal axes to problem coordinate axes. The report concludes with an overview of the piezoelectric implementation in ALEGRA-EMMA and small verification examples.

  2. The giant piezoelectric effect: electric field induced monoclinic phase or piezoelectric distortion of the rhombohedral parent?

    CERN Document Server

    Kisi, E H; Forrester, J S; Howard, C J

    2003-01-01

    Lead zinc niobate-lead titanate (PZN-PT) single crystals show very large piezoelectric strains for electric fields applied along the unit cell edges e.g. [001] sub R. It has been widely reported that this effect is caused by an electric field induced phase transition from rhombohedral (R3m) to monoclinic (Cm or Pm) symmetry in an essentially continuous manner. Group theoretical analysis using the computer program ISOTROPY indicates phase transitions between R3m and Cm (or Pm) must be discontinuous under Landau theory. An analysis of the symmetry of a strained unit cell in R3m and a simple expansion of the piezoelectric strain equation indicate that the piezoelectric distortion due to an electric field along a cell edge in rhombohedral perovskite-based ferroelectrics is intrinsically monoclinic (Cm), even for infinitesimal electric fields. PZN-PT crystals have up to nine times the elastic compliance of other piezoelectric perovskites and it might be expected that the piezoelectric strains are also very large. ...

  3. Theoretical analysis of dynamic property for piezoelectric cantilever triple-layer benders with large piezoelectric and electromechanical coupling coefficients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li Jiao Gong

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Ferroelectric single crystals, such as PZN-PT, provide novel prospects in piezoelectric bending devices such as actuators, sensors or energy harvesters because of their extraordinarily large piezoelectric coefficients. However, large errors may occur in some analyses on electromechanical behaviors using the conventional models. We find the bending rigidity of piezoelectric composited bender is affected not only by thickness, width and the modulus of elasticity of the different layers but also electromechanical coupling coefficients (EMCCs of the piezoelectric material and the larger EMCCs mean more marked effect. This paper focuses on the derivation of the applied input excitation and output response characteristics in the circular frequency domain for piezoelectric cantilever triple-layer benders (PCTBs, taking into account the secondary piezoelectric effect. Analytic dynamic descriptions of such actuators and transducers are obtained. Based on the presented models dynamic features of PCTB composed of PZN-8%PT are calculated, and numerical results coincide with simulations using the finite element method (FEM.

  4. Active vibration reduction by optimally placed sensors and actuators with application to stiffened plates by beams

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Daraji, A H; Hale, J M

    2014-01-01

    This study concerns new investigation of active vibration reduction of a stiffened plate bonded with discrete sensor/actuator pairs located optimally using genetic algorithms based on a developed finite element modeling. An isotropic plate element stiffened by a number of beam elements on its edges and having a piezoelectric sensor and actuator pair bonded to its surfaces is modeled using the finite element method and Hamilton’s principle, taking into account the effects of piezoelectric mass, stiffness and electromechanical coupling. The modeling is based on the first order shear deformation theory taking into account the effects of bending, membrane and shear deformation for the plate, the stiffening beam and the piezoelectric patches. A Matlab finite element program has been built for the stiffened plate model and verified with ANSYS and also experimentally. Optimal placement of ten piezoelectric sensor/actuator pairs and optimal feedback gain for active vibration reduction are investigated for a plate stiffened by two beams arranged in the form of a cross. The genetic algorithm was set up for optimization of sensor/actuator placement and feedback gain based on the minimization of the optimal linear quadratic index as an objective function to suppress the first six modes of vibration. Comparison study is presented for active vibration reduction of a square cantilever plate stiffened by crossed beams with two sensor/actuator configurations: firstly, ten piezoelectric sensor/actuator pairs are located in optimal positions; secondly, a piezoelectric layer of single sensor/actuator pair covering the whole of the stiffened plate as a SISO system. (paper)

  5. Piezoelectric trace vapor calibrator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Verkouteren, R. Michael; Gillen, Greg; Taylor, David W.

    2006-01-01

    The design and performance of a vapor generator for calibration and testing of trace chemical sensors are described. The device utilizes piezoelectric ink-jet nozzles to dispense and vaporize precisely known amounts of analyte solutions as monodisperse droplets onto a hot ceramic surface, where the generated vapors are mixed with air before exiting the device. Injected droplets are monitored by microscope with strobed illumination, and the reproducibility of droplet volumes is optimized by adjustment of piezoelectric wave form parameters. Complete vaporization of the droplets occurs only across a 10 deg. C window within the transition boiling regime of the solvent, and the minimum and maximum rates of trace analyte that may be injected and evaporated are determined by thermodynamic principles and empirical observations of droplet formation and stability. By varying solution concentrations, droplet injection rates, air flow, and the number of active nozzles, the system is designed to deliver--on demand--continuous vapor concentrations across more than six orders of magnitude (nominally 290 fg/l to 1.05 μg/l). Vapor pulses containing femtogram to microgram quantities of analyte may also be generated. Calibrated ranges of three explosive vapors at ng/l levels were generated by the device and directly measured by ion mobility spectrometry (IMS). These data demonstrate expected linear trends within the limited working range of the IMS detector and also exhibit subtle nonlinear behavior from the IMS measurement process

  6. SPICE modelling of a coupled piezoelectric-bimetal heat engine for autonomous Wireless Sensor Nodes (WSN) power supply

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Boughaleb, J; Monfray, S; Vine, G; Arnaud, A; Puscasu, O; Maitre, C; Trochut, S; Hasbani, F; Di Gilio, T; Heinrich, V; Urard, P; Grasset, J C; Boeuf, F; Skotnicki, T [STMicroelectronics, 850 rue Jean Monet – 38920 Crolles (France); Cottinet, P J; Guyomar, D [LGEF, INSA Lyon, 8 rue de la Physique – 69621 Villeurbanne Cedex (France); Boisseau, S; Duret, A B [CEA-LETI, 17 rue des Martyrs – 38054 Grenoble Cedex 9 (France); Quenard, S [CEA-LITEN, 17 rue des Martyrs – 38054 Grenoble Cedex 9 (France)

    2014-11-27

    This paper deals with an electrical modelling and optimization of a thermal energy harvester dedicated to power autonomous systems. Such devices based on bimetal strips and piezoceramics turn thermal gradients into electricity by a two-step conversion mechanism. This work focuses first on a demonstration of a ST-WSN (GreenNet demonstration platform) supplied by the harvester to validate, for the first time, the harvesters viability. That demonstration focuses attention on the need for an optimized power management circuit for piezoelectric generators able to reach output voltages up to 20 V. The work deals then with the proposal of an equivalent lumped element model of the piezoelectric transducer with its SPICE implementation to enable the optimization of a dedicated power management circuit based on the Pulsed Synchronous Charge Extractor (PSCE). Simulations using the SPICE model and the power management circuit lead to an increased extracted power by 144%.

  7. SPICE modelling of a coupled piezoelectric-bimetal heat engine for autonomous Wireless Sensor Nodes (WSN) power supply

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boughaleb, J; Monfray, S; Vine, G; Arnaud, A; Puscasu, O; Maitre, C; Trochut, S; Hasbani, F; Di Gilio, T; Heinrich, V; Urard, P; Grasset, J C; Boeuf, F; Skotnicki, T; Cottinet, P J; Guyomar, D; Boisseau, S; Duret, A B; Quenard, S

    2014-01-01

    This paper deals with an electrical modelling and optimization of a thermal energy harvester dedicated to power autonomous systems. Such devices based on bimetal strips and piezoceramics turn thermal gradients into electricity by a two-step conversion mechanism. This work focuses first on a demonstration of a ST-WSN (GreenNet demonstration platform) supplied by the harvester to validate, for the first time, the harvesters viability. That demonstration focuses attention on the need for an optimized power management circuit for piezoelectric generators able to reach output voltages up to 20 V. The work deals then with the proposal of an equivalent lumped element model of the piezoelectric transducer with its SPICE implementation to enable the optimization of a dedicated power management circuit based on the Pulsed Synchronous Charge Extractor (PSCE). Simulations using the SPICE model and the power management circuit lead to an increased extracted power by 144%

  8. SPICE modelling of a coupled piezoelectric-bimetal heat engine for autonomous Wireless Sensor Nodes (WSN) power supply

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boughaleb, J.; Monfray, S.; Vine, G.; Cottinet, P. J.; Arnaud, A.; Boisseau, S.; Duret, A. B.; Quenard, S.; Puscasu, O.; Maitre, C.; Trochut, S.; Hasbani, F.; Di Gilio, T.; Heinrich, V.; Urard, P.; Grasset, J. C.; Boeuf, F.; Guyomar, D.; Skotnicki, T.

    2014-11-01

    This paper deals with an electrical modelling and optimization of a thermal energy harvester dedicated to power autonomous systems. Such devices based on bimetal strips and piezoceramics turn thermal gradients into electricity by a two-step conversion mechanism. This work focuses first on a demonstration of a ST-WSN (GreenNet demonstration platform) supplied by the harvester to validate, for the first time, the harvesters viability. That demonstration focuses attention on the need for an optimized power management circuit for piezoelectric generators able to reach output voltages up to 20 V. The work deals then with the proposal of an equivalent lumped element model of the piezoelectric transducer with its SPICE implementation to enable the optimization of a dedicated power management circuit based on the Pulsed Synchronous Charge Extractor (PSCE). Simulations using the SPICE model and the power management circuit lead to an increased extracted power by 144%.

  9. Multistage Force Amplification of Piezoelectric Stacks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Tian-Bing (Inventor); Siochi, Emilie J. (Inventor); Zuo, Lei (Inventor); Jiang, Xiaoning (Inventor); Kang, Jin Ho (Inventor)

    2015-01-01

    Embodiments of the disclosure include an apparatus and methods for using a piezoelectric device, that includes an outer flextensional casing, a first cell and a last cell serially coupled to each other and coupled to the outer flextensional casing such that each cell having a flextensional cell structure and each cell receives an input force and provides an output force that is amplified based on the input force. The apparatus further includes a piezoelectric stack coupled to each cell such that the piezoelectric stack of each cell provides piezoelectric energy based on the output force for each cell. Further, the last cell receives an input force that is the output force from the first cell and the last cell provides an output apparatus force In addition, the piezoelectric energy harvested is based on the output apparatus force. Moreover, the apparatus provides displacement based on the output apparatus force.

  10. Piezoelectric materials for tissue regeneration: A review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rajabi, Amir Hossein; Jaffe, Michael; Arinzeh, Treena Livingston

    2015-09-01

    The discovery of piezoelectricity, endogenous electric fields and transmembrane potentials in biological tissues raised the question whether or not electric fields play an important role in cell function. It has kindled research and the development of technologies in emulating biological electricity for tissue regeneration. Promising effects of electrical stimulation on cell growth and differentiation and tissue growth has led to interest in using piezoelectric scaffolds for tissue repair. Piezoelectric materials can generate electrical activity when deformed. Hence, an external source to apply electrical stimulation or implantation of electrodes is not needed. Various piezoelectric materials have been employed for different tissue repair applications, particularly in bone repair, where charges induced by mechanical stress can enhance bone formation; and in neural tissue engineering, in which electric pulses can stimulate neurite directional outgrowth to fill gaps in nervous tissue injuries. In this review, a summary of piezoelectricity in different biological tissues, mechanisms through which electrical stimulation may affect cellular response, and recent advances in the fabrication and application of piezoelectric scaffolds will be discussed. The discovery of piezoelectricity, endogenous electric fields and transmembrane potentials in biological tissues has kindled research and the development of technologies using electrical stimulation for tissue regeneration. Piezoelectric materials generate electrical activity in response to deformations and allow for the delivery of an electrical stimulus without the need for an external power source. As a scaffold for tissue engineering, growing interest exists due to its potential of providing electrical stimulation to cells to promote tissue formation. In this review, we cover the discovery of piezoelectricity in biological tissues, its connection to streaming potentials, biological response to electrical stimulation and

  11. Identification of material properties of sandwich structure with piezoelectric patches

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zemčík R.

    2008-11-01

    Full Text Available The work focuses on light-weight sandwich structures made of carbon-epoxy skins and foam core which have unique bending stiffness compared to conventional materials. The skins are manufactured by vacuum autoclave technology from unidirectional prepregs and the sandwich is then glued together. The resulting material properties of the structure usually differ from those provided by manufacturer or even those obtained from experimental tests on separate materials, which makes computational models unreliable. Therefore, the properties are identified using the combination of experimental analysis of the sandwich with attached piezoelectric transducer and corresponding static and modal finite element analyses. Simple mathematical optimization with repetitive finite element solution is used. The model is then verified by transient analysis when the piezoelectric patch is excited by harmonic signals covering the first two eigen-frequencies and the induced oscillations are measured by laser sensor.

  12. Improving the Power out of a Piezoelectric Energy Harvester Using Segmented Electrodes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    SAJID RAFIQUE

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Vibration-based EH (Energy Harvesting using piezoelectric materials have been investigated by several research groups with the aim of harvesting maximum energy and providing power to low-powered wireless electronic systems for their entire operational life. The main areas of research includes improvements in mathematical modelling, optimization of harvester geometry, developments in electrical circuitry, advancements in charge storage devices and investigating various piezoelectric materials to achieve maximum power output. This paper investigates and compares the electrical power output with whole length electrodes and with segmentation of electrodes for the same harvester length. It is found that the voltage generated by one electrode of length l/2 of the direction-fixed tip system is significantly greater than that produced by one electrode of length l of the free tip system. This paper also verifies the fact that segmentation of electrodes reduces the effect of strain nodes and charge cancellation particularly at higher mode frequencies. The paper presents the simulation results using DSM (Dynamic Stiffness Matrix which is a compact method of modelling piezoelectric beams

  13. Improving the power out of a piezoelectric energy harvester using segmented electrodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rafiq, S.; Shah, S.A.

    2017-01-01

    Vibration-based EH (Energy Harvesting) using piezoelectric materials have been investigated by several research groups with the aim of harvesting maximum energy and providing power to low-powered wireless electronic systems for their entire operational life. The main areas of research includes improvements in mathematical modelling, optimization of harvester geometry, developments in electrical circuitry, advancements in charge storage devices and investigating various piezoelectric materials to achieve maximum power output. This paper investigates and compares the electrical power output with whole length electrodes and with segmentation of electrodes for the same harvester length. It is found that the voltage generated by one electrode of length l/2 of the direction-fixed tip system is significantly greater than that produced by one electrode of length l of the free tip system. This paper also verifies the fact that segmentation of electrodes reduces the effect of strain nodes and charge cancellation particularly at higher mode frequencies. The paper presents the simulation results using DSM (Dynamic Stiffness Matrix) which is a compact method of modelling piezoelectric beams. (author)

  14. New design for inertial piezoelectric motors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Lige; Ge, Weifeng; Meng, Wenjie; Hou, Yubin; Zhang, Jing; Lu, Qingyou

    2018-03-01

    We have designed, implemented, and tested a novel inertial piezoelectric motor (IPM) that is the first IPM to have controllable total friction force, which means that it sticks with large total friction forces and slips with severely reduced total friction forces. This allows the IPM to work with greater robustness and produce a larger output force at a lower threshold voltage while also providing higher rigidity. This is a new IPM design that means that the total friction force can be dramatically reduced or even canceled where necessary by pushing the clamping points at the ends of a piezoelectric tube that contains the sliding shaft inside it in the opposite directions during piezoelectric deformation. Therefore, when the shaft is propelled forward by another exterior piezoelectric tube, the inner piezoelectric tube can deform to reduce the total friction force acting on the shaft instantly and cause more effective stepping movement of the shaft. While our new IPM requires the addition of another piezoelectric tube, which leads to an increase in volume of 120% when compared with traditional IPMs, the average step size has increased by more than 400% and the threshold voltage has decreased by more than 50 V. The improvement in performance is far more significant than the increase in volume. This enhanced performance will allow the proposed IPM to work under large load conditions where a simple and powerful piezoelectric motor is needed.

  15. Laminated piezoelectric transformer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vazquez Carazo, Alfredo (Inventor)

    2006-01-01

    A laminated piezoelectric transformer is provided using the longitudinal vibration modes for step-up voltage conversion applications. The input portions are polarized to deform in a longitudinal plane and are bonded to an output portion. The deformation of the input portions is mechanically coupled to the output portion, which deforms in the same longitudinal direction relative to the input portion. The output portion is polarized in the thickness direction relative its electrodes, and piezoelectrically generates a stepped-up output voltage.

  16. Piezoelectric energy harvesting from flow-induced vibration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, D-A; Ko, H-H

    2010-01-01

    A new piezoelectric energy harvester for harnessing energy from flow-induced vibration is developed. It converts flow energy into electrical energy by piezoelectric conversion with oscillation of a piezoelectric film. A finite element model is developed in order to estimate the generated voltage of the piezoelectric laminate subjected to a distributed load. Prototypes of the energy harvester are fabricated and tested. Experimental results show that an open circuit output voltage of 2.2 V pp and an instantaneous output power of 0.2 µW are generated when the excitation pressure oscillates with an amplitude of 1.196 kPa and a frequency of about 26 Hz. The solution of the generated voltage based on the finite element model agrees well with the experiments. Based on the finite element model, the effects of the piezoelectric film dimensions, the fluid pressure applied to the harvester and types of piezoelectric layer on the output voltage of the harvester can be investigated.

  17. Piezoelectric ceramic-reinforced metal matrix composites

    OpenAIRE

    2004-01-01

    Composite materials comprising piezoelectric ceramic particulates dispersed in a metal matrix are capable of vibration damping. When the piezoelectric ceramic particulates are subjected to strain, such as the strain experienced during vibration of the material, they generate an electrical voltage that is converted into Joule heat in the surrounding metal matrix, thereby dissipating the vibrational energy. The piezoelectric ceramic particulates may also act as reinforcements to improve the mec...

  18. Design and Simulation of A Novel Piezoelectric AlN-Si Cantilever Gyroscope

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jian Yang

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available A novel design of piezoelectric aluminum nitride (AlN-Si composite cantilever gyroscope is proposed in this paper. The cantilever is stimulated to oscillate in plane by two inverse voltages which are applied on the two paralleled drive electrodes, respectively. The whole working principles are deduced, which based on the piezoelectric equation and elastic vibration equation. In this work, a cantilever gyroscope has been simulated and optimized by COMSOL Multiphysics 5.2a. The drive mode frequency is 87.422 kHz, and the sense mode frequency is 87.414 kHz. The theoretical sensitivity of this gyroscope is 0.145 pm/◦/s. This gyroscope has a small size and simple structure. It will be a better choice for the consumer electronics.

  19. Load optimised piezoelectric generator for powering battery-less TPMS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blažević, D.; Kamenar, E.; Zelenika, S.

    2013-05-01

    The design of a piezoelectric device aimed at harvesting the kinetic energy of random vibrations on a vehicle's wheel is presented. The harvester is optimised for powering a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). On-road experiments are performed in order to measure the frequencies and amplitudes of wheels' vibrations. It is hence determined that the highest amplitudes occur in an unperiodic manner. Initial tests of the battery-less TPMS are performed in laboratory conditions where tuning and system set-up optimization is achieved. The energy obtained from the piezoelectric bimorph is managed by employing the control electronics which converts AC voltage to DC and conditions the output voltage to make it compatible with the load (i.e. sensor electronics and transmitter). The control electronics also manages the sleep/measure/transmit cycles so that the harvested energy is efficiently used. The system is finally tested in real on-road conditions successfully powering the pressure sensor and transmitting the data to a receiver in the car cockpit.

  20. Piezoelectric power converter with bi-directional power transfer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2014-01-01

    The present invention relates to a bi-directional piezoelectric power converter com¬ prising a piezoelectric transformer. The piezoelectric transformer comprises an input electrode electrically coupled to a primary section of the piezoelectric transformer and an output electrode electrically...... coupled to an output section of the piezoelectric transformer to provide a transformer output signal. A bi-directional switching circuit is coupled between the output electrode and a DC or AC output voltage of the power converter. Forward and reverse current conducting periods of the bi......, a reverse current is conducted through the bi-directional switching circuit from the DC or AC output voltage to the output electrode to discharge the DC or AC output voltage and return power to the primary section of the piezoelectric transformer....

  1. Advanced model for fast assessment of piezoelectric micro energy harvesters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raffaele eArdito

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this work is to present recent advances in modelling and design of piezoelectric energy harvesters, in the framework of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS. More specifically, the case of inertial energy harvesting is considered, in the sense that the kinetic energy due to environmental vibration is transformed into electrical energy by means of piezoelectric transduction. The execution of numerical analyses is greatly important in order to predict the actual behaviour of MEMS devices and to carry out the optimization process. In the common practice, the results are obtained by means of burdensome 3D Finite Element Analyses (FEA.The case of beams could be treated by applying 1D models, which can enormously reduce the computational burden with obvious benefits in the case of repeated analyses. Unfortunately, the presence of piezoelectric coupling may entail some serious issues in view of its intrinsically three-dimensional behaviour. In this paper, a refined, yet simple, model is proposed with the objective of retaining the Euler-Bernoulli beam model, with the inclusion of effects connected to the actual three-dimensional shape of the device. The proposed model is adopted to evaluate the performances of realistic harvesters, both in the case of harmonic excitation and for impulsive loads.

  2. V-stack piezoelectric actuator

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ardelean, Emil V.; Clark, Robert L.

    2001-07-01

    Aeroelastic control of wings by means of a distributed, trailing-edge control surface is of interest with regards to maneuvers, gust alleviation, and flutter suppression. The use of high energy density, piezoelectric materials as motors provides an appealing solution to this problem. A comparative analysis of the state of the art actuators is currently being conducted. A new piezoelectric actuator design is presented. This actuator meets the requirements for trailing edge flap actuation in both stroke and force. It is compact, simple, sturdy, and leverages stroke geometrically with minimum force penalties while displaying linearity over a wide range of stroke. The V-Stack Piezoelectric Actuator, consists of a base, a lever, two piezoelectric stacks, and a pre-tensioning element. The work is performed alternately by the two stacks, placed on both sides of the lever. Pre-tensioning can be readily applied using a torque wrench, obviating the need for elastic elements and this is for the benefit of the stiffness of the actuator. The characteristics of the actuator are easily modified by changing the base or the stacks. A prototype was constructed and tested experimentally to validate the theoretical model.

  3. An improved resonantly driven piezoelectric gas pump

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu, Yue; Liu, Yong; Liu, Jianfang; Jiao, Xiaoyang; Yang, Zhigang; Wang, Long

    2013-01-01

    Piezoelectric pumps have the potential to be used in a variety of applications, such as in air circulation and compression. However, piezoelectric membrane pumps do not have enough driving capacity, and the heat induced during the direct contact between the driving part and the gas medium cannot be dissipated smoothly. When the gas is blocked, the piezoelectric vibrator generates heat quickly, which may eventually lead to damage. Resonantly driven piezoelectric stack pumps have high performance but no price advantage. In this situation, a novel, resonantly driven piezoelectric gas pump with annular bimorph as the driver is presented. In the study, the working principle of the novel pump was analyzed, the vibration mechanics model was determined, and the displacement amplified theory was studied. The outcome indicates that the displacement amplification factor is related with the original displacement provided by the piezoelectric bimorph. In addition, the displacement amplification effect is related to the stiffness of the spring lamination, adjustment spring, and piezoelectric vibrator, as well as to the systematic damping factor and the driving frequency. The experimental prototypes of the proposed pump were designed, and the displacement amplification effect and gas output performance were measured. At 70 V of sinusoidal AC driving voltage, the improved pump amplified the piezoelectric vibrator displacement by 4.2 times, the maximum gas output flow rate reached 1685 ml/min, and the temperature of the bimorph remained normal after 2000 hours of operation when the gas medium was blocked.

  4. Calculations for Piezoelectric Ultrasonic Transducers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Henrik

    1986-01-01

    Analysis of piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers implies a solution of a boundary value problem, for a boay which consists of different materials, including a piezoelectric part. The problem is dynamic at frequencies, where a typical wavelength is somewhat less than the size of the body. Radiation...

  5. Bone-Inspired Spatially Specific Piezoelectricity Induces Bone Regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Peng; Ning, Chengyun; Zhang, Yu; Tan, Guoxin; Lin, Zefeng; Liu, Shaoxiang; Wang, Xiaolan; Yang, Haoqi; Li, Kang; Yi, Xin; Zhu, Ye; Mao, Chuanbin

    2017-01-01

    The extracellular matrix of bone can be pictured as a material made of parallel interspersed domains of fibrous piezoelectric collagenous materials and non-piezoelectric non-collagenous materials. To mimic this feature for enhanced bone regeneration, a material made of two parallel interspersed domains, with higher and lower piezoelectricity, respectively, is constructed to form microscale piezoelectric zones (MPZs). The MPZs are produced using a versatile and effective laser-irradiation technique in which K 0.5 Na 0.5 NbO 3 (KNN) ceramics are selectively irradiated to achieve microzone phase transitions. The phase structure of the laser-irradiated microzones is changed from a mixture of orthorhombic and tetragonal phases (with higher piezoelectricity) to a tetragonal dominant phase (with lower piezoelectricity). The microzoned piezoelectricity distribution results in spatially specific surface charge distribution, enabling the MPZs to bear bone-like microscale electric cues. Hence, the MPZs induce osteogenic differentiation of stem cells in vitro and bone regeneration in vivo even without being seeded with stem cells. The concept of mimicking the spatially specific piezoelectricity in bone will facilitate future research on the rational design of tissue regenerative materials.

  6. Actuator Location and Voltages Optimization for Shape Control of Smart Beams Using Genetic Algorithms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Georgios E. Stavroulakis

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a numerical study on optimal voltages and optimal placement of piezoelectric actuators for shape control of beam structures. A finite element model, based on Timoshenko beam theory, is developed to characterize the behavior of the structure and the actuators. This model accounted for the electromechanical coupling in the entire beam structure, due to the fact that the piezoelectric layers are treated as constituent parts of the entire structural system. A hybrid scheme is presented based on great deluge and genetic algorithm. The hybrid algorithm is implemented to calculate the optimal locations and optimal values of voltages, applied to the piezoelectric actuators glued in the structure, which minimize the error between the achieved and the desired shape. Results from numerical simulations demonstrate the capabilities and efficiency of the developed optimization algorithm in both clamped−free and clamped−clamped beam problems are presented.

  7. Preisach model of hysteresis for the Piezoelectric Actuator Drive

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zsurzsan, Tiberiu-Gabriel; Andersen, Michael A. E.; Zhang, Zhe

    2015-01-01

    The Piezoelectric Actuator Drive (PAD) is a precise piezoelectric motor generating high-torque rotary motion, which employs piezoelectric stack actuators in a wobblestyle actuation to generate rotation. The piezoelectric stacked ceramics used as the basis for motion in the motor suffer from...

  8. Figure of merit comparison of PP-based electret and PVDF-based piezoelectric polymer energy harvesters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mrlík, M.; Leadenham, S.; AlMaadeed, M. A.; Erturk, A.

    2016-04-01

    The harvesting of mechanical strain and kinetic energy has received great attention over the past two decades in order to power wireless electronic components such as those used in passive and active monitoring applications. Piezoelectric ceramics, such as PZT (lead zirconate titanate), constitute the most commonly used electromechanical interface in vibration energy harvesters. However, there are applications in which piezoelectric ceramics cannot be used due to their low allowable curvature and brittle nature. Soft polymer PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride) is arguably the most popular non-ceramic soft piezoelectric energy harvester material for such scenarios. Another type of polymer that has received less attention is PP (polypropylene) for electret-based energy harvesting using the thickness mode (33- mode). This work presents figure of merit comparison of PP versus PVDF for off-resonant energy harvesting in thickness mode operation, revealing substantial advantage of PP over PVDF. For thickness mode energy harvesting scenarios (e.g. dynamic compression) at reasonable ambient vibration frequencies, the figure of merit for the maximum power output is proportional to the square of the effective piezoelectric strain constant divided by the effective permittivity constant. Under optimal conditions and for the same volume, it is shown that PP can generate more than two orders of magnitude larger electrical power as compared to PVDF due to the larger effective piezoelectric strain constant and lower permittivity of the former.

  9. Low cost fabrication of polymer composite (h-ZnO + PDMS) material for piezoelectric device application

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Akanksha; Das, Sonatan; Bharathkumar, Mareddi; Revanth, D.; Karthik, ARB; Sudhakara Sastry, Bala; Ramgopal Rao, V.

    2016-07-01

    Flexible piezoelectric composites offer alternative and/or additional solutions to sensor, actuator and transducer applications. Here in this work, we have successfully fabricated highly flexible piezoelectric composites with poly dimethyl siloxane (PDMS) using herbal zinc oxide (h-ZnO) as filler having weight fractions up to 50 wt.% by solution casting of dispersions of h-ZnO in PDMS. Excellent piezo properties (Resonant frequency 935 Hz, d*33 29.76 pm V-1), physiochemical properties (Wurtzite structure ZnO, 380 nm absorbance) and mechanical properties (Young modulus 16.9 MPa) have been optimized with theoretical simulations and observed experimentally for h-ZnO + PDMS. As such, the demonstrated piezoelectric PDMS membranes combined with the excellent properties of these composites open new ways to ‘soft touch’ applications and could serve as a variety of soft and sensitive electromechanical transducers, which are desired for a variety of sensor and energy harvesting applications.

  10. Polymer-ceramic piezoelectric composites (PZT)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bassora, L.A.; Eiras, J.A.

    1992-01-01

    Polymer-ceramic piezoelectric transducers, with 1-3 of connectivity were prepared with different concentration of ceramic material. Piezoelectric composites, with equal electromechanical coupling factor and acoustic impedance of one third from that ceramic transducer, were obtained when the fractionary volume of PZT reach 30%. (C.G.C.)

  11. Polarization Stability of Amorphous Piezoelectric Polyimides

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, C.; Ounaies, Z.; Su, J.; Smith, J. G., Jr.; Harrison, J. S.

    2000-01-01

    Amorphous polyimides containing polar functional groups have been synthesized and investigated for potential use as high temperature piezoelectric sensors. The thermal stability of the piezoelectric effect of one polyimide was evaluated as a function of various curing and poling conditions under dynamic and static thermal stimuli. First, the polymer samples were thermally cycled under strain by systematically increasing the maximum temperature from 50 C to 200 C while the piezoelectric strain coefficient was being measured. Second, the samples were isothermally aged at an elevated temperature in air, and the isothermal decay of the remanent polarization was measured at room temperature as a function of time. Both conventional and corona poling methods were evaluated. This material exhibited good thermal stability of the piezoelectric properties up to 100 C.

  12. Piezoelectric Accelerometers Development

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Liu, Bin; Bang, Lisbet Fogh

    1999-01-01

    The paper describes the development of piezoelectric accelerometers using Finite Element (FE) approach. Brüel & Kjær Accelerometer Type 8325 is chosen as an example to illustrate the advanced accelerometer development procedure. The deviation between simulated results and measured results of Type...... 8325 are below 6%. It is proved that the specifications of the accelerometer can be effectively predicted using the FE method, especially when modifications of the accelerometer are required. The development process of piezoelectric accelerometers in Brüel & Kjær is becoming more efficient...

  13. Piezoelectric accelerometeres development

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Liu, Bin

    1999-01-01

    The paper describes the development of piezoelectric accelerometers using Finite Element (FE) approach. Brüel & Kjær Accelerometer Type 8325 is chosen as an example to illustrate the advanced accelerometer development procedure. The deviation between simulated results and measured results of Type...... 8325 are below 6%. It is proved that the specifications of the accelerometer can be effectively predicted using the FE method, especially when modifications of the accelerometer are required. The development process of piezoelectric accelerometers in Brüel & Kjær is becoming more efficient....

  14. Optimization of the Excitation signal for a novel piezoelectric micro-jet

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li Kai

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Fourier series expansions of different excitation signals for a novel piezoelectric micro-jet is deducted in this paper. By comparison and analysis of the Fourier series expansions, we find that the motivational effect of square wave is preferable than the sine wave which is better than triangle wave. And by analysing the Fourier series expansion of trapezoidal wave, it indicates that the ratio of the waveform parameters to the period should be studied rather than the numerical value of the parameters for improving the injection performance. The numerical simulations and experiments are carried out, and the results are consistent with theoretical calculations.

  15. Analysis and optimization of acoustic wave micro-resonators integrating piezoelectric zinc oxide layers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mortada, O.; Zahr, A. H.; Orlianges, J.-C.; Crunteanu, A.; Chatras, M.; Blondy, P.

    2017-02-01

    This paper reports on the design, simulation, fabrication, and test results of ZnO-based contour-mode micro-resonators integrating piezoelectric zinc oxide (ZnO) layers. The inter-digitated (IDT) type micro-resonators are fabricated on ZnO films and suspended top of 2 μm thick silicon membranes using silicon-on insulator technology. We analyze several possibilities of increasing the quality factor (Q) and the electromechanical coupling coefficient (kt2) of the devices by varying the numbers and lengths of the IDT electrodes and using different thicknesses of the ZnO layer. We designed and fabricated IDTs of different finger numbers (n = 25, 40, 50, and 80) and lengths (L = 100/130/170/200 μm) for three different thicknesses of ZnO films (200, 600, and 800 nm). The measured Q factor confirms that reducing the length and the number of IDT fingers enables us to reach better electrical performances at resonant frequencies around 700 MHz. The extracted results for an optimized micro-resonator device having an IDT length of 100 μm and 40 finger electrodes show a Q of 1180 and a kt2 of 7.4%. We demonstrate also that the reduction of the ZnO thickness from 800 nm to 200 nm increases the quality factor from 430 to 1600, respectively, around 700 MHz. Experimental data are in very good agreement with theoretical simulations of the fabricated devices

  16. Analysis of Longitudinal Waves in Rod-Type Piezoelectric Phononic Crystals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Longfei Li

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Phononic crystals can be used to control elastic waves due to their frequency bands. This paper analyzes the passive and active control as well as the dispersion properties of longitudinal waves in rod-type piezoelectric phononic crystals over large frequency ranges. Based on the Love rod theory for modeling the longitudinal wave motions in the constituent rods and the method of reverberation-ray matrix (MRRM for deriving the member transfer matrices of the constituent rods, a modified transfer matrix method (MTMM is proposed for the analysis of dispersion curves by combining with the Floquet–Bloch principle and for the calculation of transmission spectra. Numerical examples are provided to validate the proposed MTMM for analyzing the band structures in both low and high frequency ranges. The passive control of longitudinal-wave band structures is studied by discussing the influences of the electrode’s thickness, the Poisson’s effect and the elastic rod inserts in the unit cell. The influences of electrical boundaries (including electric-open, applied electric capacity, electric-short and applied feedback control conditions on the band structures are investigated to illustrate the active control scheme. From the calculated comprehensive frequency spectra over a large frequency range, the dispersion properties of the characteristic longitudinal waves in rod-type piezoelectric phononic crystals are summarized.

  17. Shear wave propagation in piezoelectric-piezoelectric composite layered structure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anshu Mli Gaur

    Full Text Available The propagation behavior of shear wave in piezoelectric composite structure is investigated by two layer model presented in this approach. The composite structure comprises of piezoelectric layers of two different materials bonded alternatively. Dispersion equations are derived for propagation along the direction normal to the layering and in direction of layering. It has been revealed that thickness and elastic constants have significant influence on propagation behavior of shear wave. The phase velocity and wave number is numerically calculated for alternative layer of Polyvinylidene Difluoride (PVDF and Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT-5H in composite layered structure. The analysis carried out in this paper evaluates the effect of volume fraction on the phase velocity of shear wave.

  18. A Capacitance-Based Methodology for the Estimation of Piezoelectric Coefficients of Poled Piezoelectric Materials

    KAUST Repository

    Al Ahmad, Mahmoud

    2010-10-04

    A methodology is proposed to estimate the piezoelectric coefficients of bulk piezoelectric materials using simple capacitance measurements. The extracted values of d33 and d31 from the capacitance measurements were 506 pC/N and 247 pC/N, respectively. The d33 value is in agreement with that obtained from the Berlincourt method, which gave a d33 value of 500 pC/N. In addition, the d31 value is in agreement with the value obtained from the optical method, which gave a d 31 value of 223 pC/V. These results suggest that the proposed method is a viable way to quickly estimate piezoelectric coefficients of bulk unclamped samples. © 2010 The Electrochemical Society.

  19. Parametric optimization during machining of AISI 304 Austenitic Stainless Steel using CVD coated DURATOMIC cutting insert

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Kaladhar

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available In this work, Taguchi method is applied to determine the optimum process parameters for turning of AISI 304 austenitic stainless steel on CNC lathe. A Chemical vapour deposition (CVD coated cemented carbide cutting insert is used which is produced by DuratomicTM technology of 0.4 and 0.8 mm nose radii. The tests are conducted at four levels of Cutting speed, feed and depth of cut. The influence of these parameters are investigated on the surface roughness and material removal rate (MRR. The Analysis Of Variance (ANOVA is also used to analyze the influence of cutting parameters during machining. The results revealed that cutting speed significantly (46.05% affected the machined surface roughness values followed by nose radius (23.7%. The influence of the depth of cut (61.31% in affecting material removal rate (MRR is significantly large. The cutting speed (20.40% is the next significant factor. Optimal range and optimal level of parameters are also predicted for responses.

  20. Self-oscillating loop based piezoelectric power converter

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2013-01-01

    The present invention relates to a piezoelectric power converter comprising an input driver electrically coupled directly to an input or primary electrode of the piezoelectric transformer without any intervening series or parallel inductor. A feedback loop is operatively coupled between an output......- oscillation loop within a zero-voltage-switching (ZVS) operation range of the piezoelectric transformer....

  1. Wall-plug efficiency analysis of semi-active piezoelectric shunt damping systems

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Václavík, Jan; Kodejška, M.; Mokrý, Pavel

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 20, September (2014), 1077546314548910 ISSN 1077-5463 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LO1206; GA ČR GA13-10365S Institutional support: RVO:61389021 Keywords : Piezoelectric shunt damping * vibration isolation * negative capacitor * wall-plug efficiency * mechanical power measurement * power supply optimization Subject RIV: BI - Acoustics Impact factor: 4.355, year: 2013 http://jvc.sagepub.com/content/early/2014/09/17/1077546314548910

  2. Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting Solutions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caliò, Renato; Rongala, Udaya Bhaskar; Camboni, Domenico; Milazzo, Mario; Stefanini, Cesare; de Petris, Gianluca; Oddo, Calogero Maria

    2014-01-01

    This paper reviews the state of the art in piezoelectric energy harvesting. It presents the basics of piezoelectricity and discusses materials choice. The work places emphasis on material operating modes and device configurations, from resonant to non-resonant devices and also to rotational solutions. The reviewed literature is compared based on power density and bandwidth. Lastly, the question of power conversion is addressed by reviewing various circuit solutions. PMID:24618725

  3. The generation of piezoelectricity and flexoelectricity in graphene by breaking the materials symmetries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Javvaji, Brahmanandam; He, Bo; Zhuang, Xiaoying

    2018-06-01

    Graphene is a non-piezoelectric material. Engineering the piezoelectricity in graphene is possible with the help of impurities, defects and structural modifications. This study reports the mechanism of strain induced polarization and the estimation of piezoelectric and flexoelectric coefficients for graphene system. The combination of charge-dipole potential and the strong many-body potential is employed for describing the inter-atomic interactions. The breaking of symmetry in graphene material is utilized to generate the polarization. Pristine graphene, graphene with circular defect, graphene with triangular defect and trapezium-shaped graphene are considered. Molecular dynamics simulations are performed for straining the graphene atomic systems. The optimization of charge-dipole potential functions measure the polarization for these systems. Pristine and circular defect graphene systems show a constant polarization with strain. The polarization is varying with strain for a triangular defected and trapezium-shaped graphene system. The local atomic deformation produces a change in polarization with respect to the strain gradient. Estimated piezo and flexo coefficients motivate the usage of graphene in electro-mechanical devices.

  4. The generation of piezoelectricity and flexoelectricity in graphene by breaking the materials symmetries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Javvaji, Brahmanandam; He, Bo; Zhuang, Xiaoying

    2018-06-01

    Graphene is a non-piezoelectric material. Engineering the piezoelectricity in graphene is possible with the help of impurities, defects and structural modifications. This study reports the mechanism of strain induced polarization and the estimation of piezoelectric and flexoelectric coefficients for graphene system. The combination of charge-dipole potential and the strong many-body potential is employed for describing the inter-atomic interactions. The breaking of symmetry in graphene material is utilized to generate the polarization. Pristine graphene, graphene with circular defect, graphene with triangular defect and trapezium-shaped graphene are considered. Molecular dynamics simulations are performed for straining the graphene atomic systems. The optimization of charge-dipole potential functions measure the polarization for these systems. Pristine and circular defect graphene systems show a constant polarization with strain. The polarization is varying with strain for a triangular defected and trapezium-shaped graphene system. The local atomic deformation produces a change in polarization with respect to the strain gradient. Estimated piezo and flexo coefficients motivate the usage of graphene in electro-mechanical devices.

  5. Active and passive vibration isolation in piezoelectric phononic rods with external voltage excitation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qicheng Zhang

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Active piezoelectric materials are applied to one-dimensional phononic crystals, for the control of longitudinal vibration propagation both in active and passive modes. Based on the electromechanical coupling between the acoustical vibration and electric field, the electromechanical equivalent method is taken to theoretically predict the transmission spectrum of the longitudinal vibration. It is shown that the phononic rod can suppress the vibration efficiently at the frequencies of interest, by actively optimizing the motions of piezoelectric elements. In an illustrated phononic rod of 11.2cm long, active tunable isolations of more than 20dB at low frequencies (500Hz-14kHz are generated by controlling the excitation voltages of piezoelectric elements. Meanwhile, passive fixed isolation at high frequencies (14k-63kHz are presented by its periodicity characteristics. Finite element simulations and vibration experiments on the rod demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach in terms of its vibration isolation capabilities and tunable characteristics. This phononic rod can be manufactured easily and provides numerous potential applications in designing isolation mounts and platforms.

  6. Facile construction of a random protein domain insertion library using an engineered transposon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shah, Vandan; Pierre, Brennal; Kim, Jin Ryoun

    2013-01-15

    Insertional fusion between multiple protein domains represents a novel means of creating integrated functionalities. Currently, there is no robust guideline for selection of insertion sites ensuring the desired functional outcome of insertional fusion. Therefore, construction and testing of random domain insertion libraries, in which a host protein domain is randomly inserted into a guest protein domain, significantly benefit extensive exploration of sequence spaces for insertion sites. Short peptide residues are usually introduced between protein domains to alleviate structural conflicts, and the interdomain linker residues may affect the functional outcome of protein insertion complexes. Unfortunately, optimal control of interdomain linker residues is not always available in conventional methods used to construct random domain insertion libraries. Moreover, most conventional methods employ blunt-end rather than sticky-end ligation between host and guest DNA fragments, thus lowering library construction efficiency. Here, we report the facile construction of random domain insertion libraries using an engineered transposon. We show that random domain insertion with optimal control of interdomain linker residues was possible with our engineered transposon-based method. In addition, our method employs sticky-end rather than blunt-end ligation between host and guest DNA fragments, thus allowing for facile construction of relatively large sized libraries. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Adaptive piezoelectric sensoriactuators for active structural acoustic control

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vipperman, Jeffrey Stuart

    1997-09-01

    piezostructures were used to demonstrate and verify the adaptive piezoelectric sensoriactuator, a cantilevered beam and a simply-supported plate. The experimental open- loop results compare well with theory. A preliminary closed-loop rate controller applied to the cantilevered beam demonstrates simultaneous control and adaptation of the piezoelectric sensoriactuator. Lastly, [/cal H]2 optimal feedback Active Structural Acoustic Control (ASAC) is demonstrated using the adaptive piezoelectric sensoriactuators and the simply- supported plate test bed. A cost function is formulated based upon control effort and predicted radiated acoustic power. Radiation filters are created to predict acoustic power based on the self and mutual radiation efficiencies of the plate modes to be controlled. Both static output feedback and state-feedback compensation as well as dynamic (Linear Quadratic Gaussian) compensation are investigated and compared analytically. The importance of choosing an appropriate spatial aperture for the piezoceramic transducer for static compensation is discussed. Finally, multivariable Active Vibration Control (AVC) and ASAC are implemented experimentally on a simply-supported plate test bed using an array of four Adaptive Piezoelectric Sensoriactuators as the control sensors and actuators. Unfavorable high-frequency response from the given piezoceramic transducers required that dynamic, Linear Quadratic Gaussian (LQG) compensation be used to achieve good control performance.

  8. Experimental Analysis of a Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting System for Harmonic, Random, and Sine on Random Vibration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jackson W. Cryns

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Harvesting power with a piezoelectric vibration powered generator using a full-wave rectifier conditioning circuit is experimentally compared for varying sinusoidal, random, and sine on random (SOR input vibration scenarios; the implications of source vibration characteristics on harvester design are discussed. The rise in popularity of harvesting energy from ambient vibrations has made compact, energy dense piezoelectric generators commercially available. Much of the available literature focuses on maximizing harvested power through nonlinear processing circuits that require accurate knowledge of generator internal mechanical and electrical characteristics and idealization of the input vibration source, which cannot be assumed in general application. Variations in source vibration and load resistance are explored for a commercially available piezoelectric generator. The results agree with numerical and theoretical predictions in the previous literature for optimal power harvesting in sinusoidal and flat broadband vibration scenarios. Going beyond idealized steady-state sinusoidal and flat random vibration input, experimental SOR testing allows for more accurate representation of real world ambient vibration. It is shown that characteristic interactions from more complex vibration sources significantly alter power generation and processing requirements by varying harvested power, shifting optimal conditioning impedance, inducing voltage fluctuations, and ultimately rendering idealized sinusoidal and random analyses incorrect.

  9. Peritubular dentin lacks piezoelectricity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Habelitz, S; Rodriguez, B J; Marshall, S J; Marshall, G W; Kalinin, S V; Gruverman, A

    2007-09-01

    Dentin is a mesenchymal tissue, and, as such, is based on a collagenous matrix that is reinforced by apatite mineral. Collagen fibrils show piezoelectricity, a phenomenon that is used by piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) to obtain high-resolution images. We applied PFM to image human dentin with 10-nm resolution, and to test the hypothesis that zones of piezoactivity, indicating the presence of collagen fibrils, can be distinguished in dentin. Piezoelectricity was observed by PFM in the dentin intertubular matrix, while the peritubular dentin remained without response. High-resolution imaging of chemically treated intertubular dentin attributed the piezoelectric effect to individual collagen fibrils that differed in the signal strength, depending on the fibril orientation. This study supports the hypothesis that peritubular dentin is a non-collagenous tissue and is thus an exception among mineralized tissues that derive from the mesenchyme.

  10. Design and experiments of a linear piezoelectric motor driven by a single mode.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Zhen; Yao, Zhiyuan; Li, Xiang; Fu, Qianwei

    2016-11-01

    In this contribution, we propose a novel linear piezoelectric motor with a compact stator that is driven by a single mode. The linear piezoelectric motor can realize bidirectional motion by changing the vibration modes of the stator. Finite element analysis is performed to determine the required vibration mode of the stator and obtain the optimal stator structure and dimensions. Furthermore, the trajectories of the driving foot are analyzed with and without consideration of the mechanical contact with the slider. It is shown that the trajectory of the driving foot is an oblique line when disregarding the contact, and the trajectory becomes an oblique ellipse while taking into account the contact. Finally, a prototype of the motor is fabricated based on the results of finite element analysis. The optimization results show that the motor reaches its maximum thrust force of 4.0 kg, maximum thrust-weight ratio of 33.3, maximum unloaded velocity of 385 mm/s under the excitation of Mode-B, and maximum unloaded velocity of 315 mm/s under the excitation of Mode-L.

  11. Nanoscans of piezoelectric activity using an atomic force microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zheng, Z.; Guy, I.L.; Butcher, K.S.A.; Tansley, T.L.

    2002-01-01

    Full text: Any crystal which lacks a centre of symmetry is piezoelectric. This includes all of the ferroelectric crystals used in photonics and virtually all compound semiconductors. Such crystals, when grown in thin film form invariably exist in a strained state and thus possess internal piezoelectric fields which can affect their electronic properties. A knowledge of the piezoelectric properties of such crystals is thus important in understanding how they behave in practical devices. It also provides a tool for analysing the crystal structure of such materials. Using an atomic force microscope (AFM) as a probe of piezoelectric activity allows the study of variations in crystal structure on a nanoscale. The AFM piezoelectric technique has been used by several groups to study structures of ceramic materials with large piezoelectric coefficients, intended for applications in piezoelectric actuators. In the AFM method, a driving signal of a few volts at a frequency well below the AFM tip resonance, is applied to a sample of the material mounted in the AFM. This voltage causes the sample dimensions to change in ways determined by the piezoelectric properties of the sample. The AFM signal thus contains the normal surface profile information and an additional component generated by the piezoelectric vibrations of the sample. A lockin amplifier is used to separate the piezoelectric signal from the normal AFM surface profile signal. The result is the simultaneous acquisition of the surface profile and a piezoelectric map of the surface of the material under study. We will present results showing the results of such measurements in materials such as lithium niobate and gallium nitride. These materials have piezoelectric coefficients which are much lower than those of materials to which the technique has normally been applied

  12. Enhanced piezoelectricity of monolayer phosphorene oxides: a theoretical study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yin, Huabing; Zheng, Guang-Ping; Gao, Jingwei; Wang, Yuanxu; Ma, Yuchen

    2017-10-18

    Two-dimensional (2D) piezoelectric materials have potential applications in miniaturized sensors and energy conversion devices. In this work, using first-principles simulations at different scales, we systematically study the electronic structures and piezoelectricity of a series of 2D monolayer phosphorene oxides (POs). Our calculations show that the monolayer POs have tunable band gaps along with remarkable piezoelectric properties. The calculated piezoelectric coefficient d 11 of 54 pm V -1 in POs is much larger than those of 2D transition metal dichalcogenide monolayers and the widely used bulk α-quartz and AlN, and almost reaches the level of the piezoelectric effect in recently discovered 2D GeS. Furthermore, two other considerable piezoelectric coefficients, i.e., d 31 and d 26 with values of -10 pm V -1 and 21 pm V -1 , respectively, are predicted in some monolayer POs. We also examine the correlation between the piezoelectric coefficients and energy stability. The enhancement of piezoelectricity for monolayer phosphorene by oxidation will broaden the applications of phosphorene and phosphorene derivatives in nano-sized electronic and piezotronic devices.

  13. Piezoelectricity

    CERN Document Server

    Lubitz, Karl

    2008-01-01

    Piezoelectric materials play a key role in an innovative market. Advances in applications derive from new materials and their development, as well as to new market requirements. This report elucidates these developments by a broad spectrum of examples, comprising ultrasound in medicine and defence industry, and frequency control.

  14. A miniaturized piezoelectric turbine with self-regulation for increased air speed range

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fu, Hailing, E-mail: h.fu14@imperial.ac.uk; Yeatman, Eric M. [Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom)

    2015-12-14

    This paper presents the design and demonstration of a piezoelectric turbine with self-regulation for increased air speed range. The turbine's transduction is achieved by magnetic “plucking” of a piezoelectric beam by the passing rotor. The increased speed range is achieved by the self-regulating mechanism which can dynamically adjust the magnetic coupling between the magnets on the turbine rotor and the piezoelectric beam using a micro-spring. The spring is controlled passively by the centrifugal force of the magnet on the rotor. This mechanism automatically changes the relative position of the magnets at different rotational speeds, making the coupling weak at low airflow speeds and strong at high speeds. Hence, the device can start up with a low airflow speed, and the output power can be ensured when the airflow speed is high. A theoretical model was established to analyse the turbine's performance, advantages, and to optimize its design parameters. A prototype was fabricated and tested in a wind tunnel. The start-up airflow speed was 2.34 m/s, showing a 30% improvement against a harvester without the mechanism.

  15. Study of piezoelectric materials combined with electromagnetic design for bicycle harvesting system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dyi-Cheng Chen

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Energy harvesting device involves capturing energy from the environment and it is increasingly crucial in the crisis of greenhouse effect nowadays. Equipping bicycles with many types of shock absorbers can enhance the riding comfort. Additionally, an embedded energy harvesting device will gain much benefit beyond the sports. This study applied the finite element method to analyze the components of nonlinear magnetic spring. The analytical simulations were conducted to analyze the electromagnetic effect in ANSYS©/Emag software. A model equipped with nonlinear magnetic springs was constructed to absorb the impact energy. Nevertheless, the piezoelectric components were used to capture the piezoelectric effect current caused by the compressive stress. A series of simulations were conducted, such as changing the diameter of the magnet, electric coil width, and the position of the coils. Moreover, with those finite element analysis data, the Taguchi method L9(34 orthogonal arrays were applied to determine the optimal parametric dimensions of the electromagnetic and piezoelectric assemblies for maximizing the captured kinetic energy and power transformation. The results could assist the suspension manufacturers to innovate their design for energy harvesting and impact absorbing.

  16. A miniaturized piezoelectric turbine with self-regulation for increased air speed range

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fu, Hailing; Yeatman, Eric M.

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents the design and demonstration of a piezoelectric turbine with self-regulation for increased air speed range. The turbine's transduction is achieved by magnetic “plucking” of a piezoelectric beam by the passing rotor. The increased speed range is achieved by the self-regulating mechanism which can dynamically adjust the magnetic coupling between the magnets on the turbine rotor and the piezoelectric beam using a micro-spring. The spring is controlled passively by the centrifugal force of the magnet on the rotor. This mechanism automatically changes the relative position of the magnets at different rotational speeds, making the coupling weak at low airflow speeds and strong at high speeds. Hence, the device can start up with a low airflow speed, and the output power can be ensured when the airflow speed is high. A theoretical model was established to analyse the turbine's performance, advantages, and to optimize its design parameters. A prototype was fabricated and tested in a wind tunnel. The start-up airflow speed was 2.34 m/s, showing a 30% improvement against a harvester without the mechanism

  17. Giant piezoelectricity on Si for hyperactive MEMS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baek, S H; Park, J; Kim, D M; Aksyuk, V A; Das, R R; Bu, S D; Felker, D A; Lettieri, J; Vaithyanathan, V; Bharadwaja, S S N; Bassiri-Gharb, N; Chen, Y B; Sun, H P; Folkman, C M; Jang, H W; Kreft, D J; Streiffer, S K; Ramesh, R; Pan, X Q; Trolier-McKinstry, S; Schlom, D G; Rzchowski, M S; Blick, R H; Eom, C B

    2011-11-18

    Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) incorporating active piezoelectric layers offer integrated actuation, sensing, and transduction. The broad implementation of such active MEMS has long been constrained by the inability to integrate materials with giant piezoelectric response, such as Pb(Mg(1/3)Nb(2/3))O(3)-PbTiO(3) (PMN-PT). We synthesized high-quality PMN-PT epitaxial thin films on vicinal (001) Si wafers with the use of an epitaxial (001) SrTiO(3) template layer with superior piezoelectric coefficients (e(31,f) = -27 ± 3 coulombs per square meter) and figures of merit for piezoelectric energy-harvesting systems. We have incorporated these heterostructures into microcantilevers that are actuated with extremely low drive voltage due to thin-film piezoelectric properties that rival bulk PMN-PT single crystals. These epitaxial heterostructures exhibit very large electromechanical coupling for ultrasound medical imaging, microfluidic control, mechanical sensing, and energy harvesting.

  18. The development of all-polymer-based piezoelectrically active photocurable resin for 3D printing process (Conference Presentation)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baker, Evan; Chu, Weishen; Ware, Henry Oliver T.; Farsheed, Adam C.; Sun, Cheng

    2017-02-01

    We present in this work the development and experimental validation of a new piezoelectric material (V-Ink) designed for compatibility with projection stereolithography additive manufacturing techniques. Piezoelectric materials generate a voltage output when a stress is applied to the material, and also can be actuated by using an external voltage and power source. This new material opens up new opportunities for functional devices to be developed and rapidly produced at low cost using emerging 3D printing techniques. The new piezoelectric material was able to generate 115mV under 1N of strain after being polled at 80°C for 40 minutes and the optimal results had a piezoelectric coefficient of 105x10^(-3)V.m/N. The current iteration of the material is a suspension, although further work is ongoing to make the resin a true solution. The nature of the suspension was characterized by a time-lapse monitoring and through viscosity testing. The potential exists to further increase the piezoelectric properties of this material by integrating a mechanical to electrical enhancer such as carbon nanotubes or barium titanate into the material. Such materials need to be functionalized to be integrated within the material, which is currently being explored. Printing with this material on a "continuous SLA" printer that we have developed will reduce build times by an order of magnitude to allow for mass manufacturing. Pairing those two advancements will enable faster printing and enhanced piezoelectric properties.

  19. Observation of piezoelectricity in free-standing monolayer MoS₂.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Hanyu; Wang, Yuan; Xiao, Jun; Liu, Ming; Xiong, Shaomin; Wong, Zi Jing; Ye, Ziliang; Ye, Yu; Yin, Xiaobo; Zhang, Xiang

    2015-02-01

    Piezoelectricity allows precise and robust conversion between electricity and mechanical force, and arises from the broken inversion symmetry in the atomic structure. Reducing the dimensionality of bulk materials has been suggested to enhance piezoelectricity. However, when the thickness of a material approaches a single molecular layer, the large surface energy can cause piezoelectric structures to be thermodynamically unstable. Transition-metal dichalcogenides can retain their atomic structures down to the single-layer limit without lattice reconstruction, even under ambient conditions. Recent calculations have predicted the existence of piezoelectricity in these two-dimensional crystals due to their broken inversion symmetry. Here, we report experimental evidence of piezoelectricity in a free-standing single layer of molybdenum disulphide (MoS₂) and a measured piezoelectric coefficient of e₁₁ = 2.9 × 10(-10) C m(-1). The measurement of the intrinsic piezoelectricity in such free-standing crystals is free from substrate effects such as doping and parasitic charges. We observed a finite and zero piezoelectric response in MoS₂ in odd and even number of layers, respectively, in sharp contrast to bulk piezoelectric materials. This oscillation is due to the breaking and recovery of the inversion symmetry of the two-dimensional crystal. Through the angular dependence of electromechanical coupling, we determined the two-dimensional crystal orientation. The piezoelectricity discovered in this single molecular membrane promises new applications in low-power logic switches for computing and ultrasensitive biological sensors scaled down to a single atomic unit cell.

  20. Piezoelectric nanomaterials for biomedical applications

    CERN Document Server

    Menciassi, Arianna

    2012-01-01

    Nanoscale structures and materials have been explored in many biological applications because of their novel and impressive physical and chemical properties. Such properties allow remarkable opportunities to study and interact with complex biological processes. This book analyses the state of the art of piezoelectric nanomaterials and introduces their applications in the biomedical field. Despite their impressive potentials, piezoelectric materials have not yet received significant attention for bio-applications. This book shows that the exploitation of piezoelectric nanoparticles in nanomedicine is possible and realistic, and their impressive physical properties can be useful for several applications, ranging from sensors and transducers for the detection of biomolecules to “sensible” substrates for tissue engineering or cell stimulation.

  1. Development of piezoelectric composites for transducers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Safari, A.

    1994-07-01

    For the past decade and a half, many different types of piezoelectric ceramic-polymer composites have been developed intended for transducer applications. These diphasic composites are prepared from non-active polymer, such as epoxy, and piezoelectric ceramic, such as PZT, in the form of filler powders, elongated fibers, multilayer and more complex three-dimensional structures. For the last four years, most of the efforts have been given to producing large area and fine scale PZT fiber composites. In this paper, processing of piezoelectric ceramic-polymer composites with various connectivity patterns are reviewed. Development of fine scale piezoelectric composites by lost mold, injection molding and the relic method are described. Research activities of different groups for preparing large area piezocomposites for hydrophone and actuator applications are briefly reviewed. Initial development of electrostrictive ceramics and composites are also

  2. Vibrations of thin piezoelectric shallow shells: Two-dimensional ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    R. Narasimhan (Krishtel eMaging) 1461 1996 Oct 15 13:05:22

    In this paper we consider the eigenvalue problem for piezoelectric shallow shells and we show that, as the thickness of the shell goes to zero, the eigensolutions of the three-dimensional piezoelectric shells converge to the eigensolutions of a two- dimensional eigenvalue problem. Keywords. Vibrations; piezoelectricity ...

  3. Active damping of multiferroic composite plates using 1-3 piezoelectric composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kattimani, S. C.

    2017-12-01

    A layer-wise shear deformation theory is used to analyze the smart damping of multiferroic composite or magneto-electro-elastic (MEE) plates. The intent of this analysis is to investigate the need for incorporating additional smart elements for controlling the vibrations of multiferroic composite plates. Active constrained layer damping (ACLD) treatment has been incorporated to alleviate the vibration of MEE plate. A layer of viscoelastic material is used as constrained layer for the ACLD treatment. The coupled constitutive equations of multiferroic (ferroelectric and ferromagnetic) composite materials along with the total potential energy principle are used to derive the finite element formulation for the overall multiferroic or MEE plate. Maxwell’s electrostatic and electromagnetic relations are used to compute the electric and magnetic potential distribution. Influence of obliquely reinforced piezoelectric fibers in the piezoelectric layer of the ACLD treatment has also been investigated. In order to investigate the importance of using ACLD treatment for an active damping of multiferroic or MEE plate, an active control of MEE plate has also been analyzed by providing the control voltage directly to the piezoelectric layers of the MEE substrate plate without using the ACLD treatment. The present study suggests that for an optimal control of MEE plates, the smartness element such as the ACLD treatment is essentially required.

  4. Simulations of piezoelectric pressure sensor for radial artery pulse measurement

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Joshi, Abhay B. [Department of Electronic Science, University of Pune, Pune 411 007 (India); Kalange, Ashok E. [Department of Electronic Science, University of Pune, Pune 411 007 (India); Tuljaram Chaturchand College, Baramati 413 102 (India); Bodas, Dhananjay, E-mail: dhananjay.bodas@gmail.co [Center for Nanobio Sciences, Agharkar Research Institute, Pune 411 004 (India); Gangal, S.A. [Department of Electronic Science, University of Pune, Pune 411 007 (India)

    2010-04-15

    A radial artery pulse is used to diagnose human body constitution (Prakruti) in Ayurveda. A system consisting of piezoelectric sensor (22 mm x 12 mm), data acquisition card and LabView software was used to record the pulse data. The pulse obtained from the sensor was noisy, even though signal processing was done. Moreover due to large sized senor accurate measurements were not possible. Hence, a need was felt to develop a sensor of the size of the order of finger tip with a resonant frequency of the order of 1 Hz. A micromachined pressure sensor based on piezoelectric sensing mechanism was designed and simulated using CoventorWare. Simulations were carried out by varying dimensions of the sensor to optimize the resonant frequency, stresses and voltage generated as a function of applied pressure. All simulations were done with pressure ranging of 1-30 kPa, which is the range used by Ayurvedic practitioners for diagnosis. Preliminary work on fabrication of such a sensor was carried out successfully.

  5. Simulations of piezoelectric pressure sensor for radial artery pulse measurement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Joshi, Abhay B.; Kalange, Ashok E.; Bodas, Dhananjay; Gangal, S.A.

    2010-01-01

    A radial artery pulse is used to diagnose human body constitution (Prakruti) in Ayurveda. A system consisting of piezoelectric sensor (22 mm x 12 mm), data acquisition card and LabView software was used to record the pulse data. The pulse obtained from the sensor was noisy, even though signal processing was done. Moreover due to large sized senor accurate measurements were not possible. Hence, a need was felt to develop a sensor of the size of the order of finger tip with a resonant frequency of the order of 1 Hz. A micromachined pressure sensor based on piezoelectric sensing mechanism was designed and simulated using CoventorWare. Simulations were carried out by varying dimensions of the sensor to optimize the resonant frequency, stresses and voltage generated as a function of applied pressure. All simulations were done with pressure ranging of 1-30 kPa, which is the range used by Ayurvedic practitioners for diagnosis. Preliminary work on fabrication of such a sensor was carried out successfully.

  6. An Exact Analytical Solution to Exponentially Tapered Piezoelectric Energy Harvester

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H. Salmani

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available It has been proven that tapering the piezoelectric beam through its length optimizes the power extracted from vibration based energy harvesting. This phenomenon has been investigated by some researchers using semianalytical, finite element and experimental methods. In this paper, an exact analytical solution is presented to calculate the power generated from vibration of exponentially tapered unimorph and bimorph with series and parallel connections. The mass normalized mode shapes of the exponentially tapered piezoelectric beam with tip mass are implemented to transfer the proposed electromechanical coupled equations into modal coordinates. The steady states harmonic solution results are verified both numerically and experimentally. Results show that there exist values for tapering parameter and electric resistance in a way that the output power per mass of the energy harvester will be maximized. Moreover it is concluded that the electric resistance must be higher than a specified value for gaining more power by tapering the beam.

  7. Anomalous piezoelectricity in two-dimensional graphene nitride nanosheets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zelisko, Matthew; Hanlumyuang, Yuranan; Yang, Shubin; Liu, Yuanming; Lei, Chihou; Li, Jiangyu; Ajayan, Pulickel M; Sharma, Pradeep

    2014-06-27

    Piezoelectricity is a unique property of materials that permits the conversion of mechanical stimuli into electrical and vice versa. On the basis of crystal symmetry considerations, pristine carbon nitride (C3N4) in its various forms is non-piezoelectric. Here we find clear evidence via piezoresponse force microscopy and quantum mechanical calculations that both atomically thin and layered graphitic carbon nitride, or graphene nitride, nanosheets exhibit anomalous piezoelectricity. Insights from ab inito calculations indicate that the emergence of piezoelectricity in this material is due to the fact that a stable phase of graphene nitride nanosheet is riddled with regularly spaced triangular holes. These non-centrosymmetric pores, and the universal presence of flexoelectricity in all dielectrics, lead to the manifestation of the apparent and experimentally verified piezoelectric response. Quantitatively, an e11 piezoelectric coefficient of 0.758 C m(-2) is predicted for C3N4 superlattice, significantly larger than that of the commonly compared α-quartz.

  8. Wall-plug efficiency analysis of semi-active piezoelectric shunt damping systems

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Václavík, Jan; Kodejška, M.; Mokrý, Pavel

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 22, č. 11 (2016), s. 2582-2590 ISSN 1077-5463 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LO1206; GA ČR GA13-10365S Institutional support: RVO:61389021 Keywords : Piezoelectric shunt damping * vibration isolation * negative capacitor * wall-plug efficiency * mechanical power measurement * power supply optimization Subject RIV: BI - Acoustics Impact factor: 2.101, year: 2016 http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1077546314548910

  9. Finite element analysis of piezoelectric materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lowrie, F.; Stewart, M.; Cain, M.; Gee, M.

    1999-01-01

    This guide is intended to help people wanting to do finite element analysis of piezoelectric materials by answering some of the questions that are peculiar to piezoelectric materials. The document is not intended as a complete beginners guide for finite element analysis in general as this is better dealt with by the individual software producers. The guide is based around the commercial package ANSYS as this is a popular package amongst piezoelectric material users, however much of the information will still be useful to users of other finite element codes. (author)

  10. Robust design method and thermostatic experiment for multiple piezoelectric vibration absorber system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nambu, Yohsuke; Takashima, Toshihide; Inagaki, Akiya

    2015-01-01

    This paper examines the effects of connecting multiplexing shunt circuits composed of inductors and resistors to piezoelectric transducers so as to improve the robustness of a piezoelectric vibration absorber (PVA). PVAs are well known to be effective at suppressing the vibration of an adaptive structure; their weakness is low robustness to changes in the dynamic parameters of the system, including the main structure and the absorber. In the application to space structures, the temperature-dependency of capacitance of piezoelectric ceramics is the factor that causes performance reduction. To improve robustness to the temperature-dependency of the capacitance, this paper proposes a multiple-PVA system that is composed of distributed piezoelectric transducers and several shunt circuits. The optimization problems that determine both the frequencies and the damping ratios of the PVAs are multi-objective problems, which are solved using a real-coded genetic algorithm in this paper. A clamped aluminum beam with four groups of piezoelectric ceramics attached was considered in simulations and experiments. Numerical simulations revealed that the PVA systems designed using the proposed method had tolerance to changes in the capacitances. Furthermore, experiments using a thermostatic bath were conducted to reveal the effectiveness and robustness of the PVA systems. The maximum peaks of the transfer functions of the beam with the open circuit, the single-PVA system, the double-PVA system, and the quadruple-PVA system at 20 °C were 14.3 dB, −6.91 dB, −7.47 dB, and −8.51 dB, respectively. The experimental results also showed that the multiple-PVA system is more robust than a single PVA in a variable temperature environment from −10 °C to 50 °C. In conclusion, the use of multiple PVAs results in an effective, robust vibration control method for adaptive structures. (paper)

  11. A low-frequency MEMS piezoelectric energy harvester with a rectangular hole based on bulk PZT film

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tian, Yingwei; Li, Guimiao; Yi, Zhiran; Liu, Jingquan; Yang, Bin

    2018-06-01

    This paper presents a high performance piezoelectric energy harvester (PEH) with a rectangular hole to work at low-frequency. This PEH used thinned bulk PZT film on flexible phosphor bronze, and its structure included piezoelectric layer, supporting layer and proof mass to reduce the resonant frequency of the device. Here, thinned bulk PZT thick film was used as piezoelectric layer due to its high piezoelectric coefficient. A Phosphor bronze was deployed as supporting layer because it had better flexibility compared to silicon and could work under high acceleration ambient with good durability. The maximum open-circuit voltage of the PEH was 15.7 V at low resonant frequency of 34.3 Hz when the input vibration acceleration was 1.5 g (g = 9.81 m/s2). Moreover, the maximum output power, the output power density and the actually current at the same acceleration were 216.66 μW, 1713.58 μW/cm3 and 170 μA, respectively, when the optimal matched resistance of 60 kΩ was connected. The fabricated PEH scavenged the vibration energy of the vacuum compression pump and generated the maximum output voltage of 1.19 V.

  12. Applications of piezoelectric materials in oilfield services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goujon, Nicolas; Hori, Hiroshi; Liang, Kenneth K; Sinha, Bikash K

    2012-09-01

    Piezoelectric materials are used in many applications in the oilfield services industry. Four illustrative examples are given in this paper: marine seismic survey, precision pressure measurement, sonic logging-while-drilling, and ultrasonic bore-hole imaging. In marine seismics, piezoelectric hydrophones are deployed on a massive scale in a relatively benign environment. Hence, unit cost and device reliability are major considerations. The remaining three applications take place downhole in a characteristically harsh environment with high temperature and high pressure among other factors. The number of piezoelectric devices involved is generally small but otherwise highly valued. The selection of piezoelectric materials is limited, and the devices have to be engineered to withstand the operating conditions. With the global demand for energy increasing in the foreseeable future, the search for hydrocarbon resources is reaching into deeper and hotter wells. There is, therefore, a continuing and pressing need for high-temperature and high-coupling piezoelectric materials.

  13. Observations on rotating needle insertions using a brachytherapy robot

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meltsner, M A; Ferrier, N J; Thomadsen, B R

    2007-01-01

    A robot designed for prostate brachytherapy implantations has the potential to greatly improve treatment success. Much of the research in robotic surgery focuses on measuring accuracy. However, there exist many factors that must be optimized before an analysis of needle placement accuracy can be determined. Some of these parameters include choice of the needle type, insertion velocity, usefulness of the rotating needle and rotation speed. These parameters may affect the force at which the needle interacts with the tissue. A reduction in force has been shown to decrease the compression of the prostate and potentially increase the accuracy of seed position. Rotating the needle as it is inserted may reduce frictional forces while increasing accuracy. However, needle rotations are considered to increase tissue damage due to the drilling nature of the insertion. We explore many of the factors involved in optimizing a brachytherapy robot, and the potential effects each parameter may have on the procedure. We also investigate the interaction of rotating needles in gel and suggest the rotate-cannula-only method of conical needle insertion to minimize any tissue damage while still maintaining the benefits of reduced force and increased accuracy

  14. A review on one dimensional perovskite nanocrystals for piezoelectric applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li-Qian Cheng

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available In recent years, one-dimensional piezoelectric nanomaterials have become a research topic of interest because of their special morphology and excellent piezoelectric properties. This article presents a short review on one dimensional perovskite piezoelectric materials in different systems including Pb(Zr,TiO3, BaTiO3 and (K,NaNbO3 (KNN. We emphasize KNN as a promising lead-free piezoelectric compound with a high Curie temperature and high piezoelectric properties and describe its synthesis and characterization. In particular, details are presented for nanoscale piezoelectricity characterization of a single KNN nanocrystal by piezoresponse force microscopy. Finally, this review describes recent progress in applications based on one dimensional piezoelectric nanostructures with a focus on energy harvesting composite materials.

  15. Structured Piezoelectric Composites : Materials and Applications

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Van den Ende, D.A.

    2012-01-01

    The piezoelectric effect, which causes a material to generate a voltage when it deforms, is very suitable for making integrated sensors, and (micro-) generators. However, conventional piezoelectric materials are either brittle ceramics or certain polymers with a low thermal stability, which limits

  16. Actuator topology design using the controllability Gramian

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Alves da Silveira, Otávio Augusto; Ono Fonseca, Jun Sérgio; Santos, Ilmar

    2015-01-01

    This work develops a methodology for the optimal design of actuators for the vibration control of flexible structures. The objective is the maximization of a measure of the controllability Gramian. The test case is the embedding of piezoelectric inserts in elastic structures for vibration control...

  17. Optimization Of PVDF-TrFE Processing Conditions For The Fabrication Of Organic MEMS Resonators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ducrot, Pierre-Henri; Dufour, Isabelle; Ayela, Cédric

    2016-01-21

    This paper reports a systematic optimization of processing conditions of PVDF-TrFE piezoelectric thin films, used as integrated transducers in organic MEMS resonators. Indeed, despite data on electromechanical properties of PVDF found in the literature, optimized processing conditions that lead to these properties remain only partially described. In this work, a rigorous optimization of parameters enabling state-of-the-art piezoelectric properties of PVDF-TrFE thin films has been performed via the evaluation of the actuation performance of MEMS resonators. Conditions such as annealing duration, poling field and poling duration have been optimized and repeatability of the process has been demonstrated.

  18. Analysis of active piezoelectric energy harvester

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yiliang CUI

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Most of the existing piezoelectric traps are designed for a narrow frequency range of vibration, but the surrounding environment has a very wide frequency range, and the frequency may also be subject to change, causing the problem of difficult to achieve energy capture or capture inefficiency. In order to solve problem, a new T-type piezoelectric cantilever is proposed as a capture energy structure in the paper. To begin with the aspects of structural design and circuit design, the static analysis, modal analysis and resonance analysis of the structure are carried out and the natural frequency and excitation frequency of the device are analyzed. The design and calculation of the power consumption and the loss of the components of the circuit are analyzed by the simulation and verification of the active capture energy circuit, and the active and passive techniques are compared and analyzed, the simulation of the active capture circuit is verified by analyzing the power consumption of the circuit and the maximum power obtained by the active technology is 5 times of that of the passive technology. And then the voltage-controlled active boundary control method can be used for interface circuit design, taking the initiative to use each piezoelectric transduction cycle triggered by the electrical boundary conditions to effectively increase the input piezoelectric pump energy, and then increase output power. The way of utilizing the active trapping of piezoelectric materials is innovated, which has a positive effect on the development of piezoelectric traps.

  19. Dielectric loss against piezoelectric power harvesting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Junrui; Shu-Hung Chung, Henry; Liao, Wei-Hsin

    2014-09-01

    Piezoelectricity is one of the most popular electromechanical transduction mechanisms for constructing kinetic energy harvesting systems. When a standard energy harvesting (SEH) interface circuit, i.e., bridge rectifier plus filter capacitor, is utilized for collecting piezoelectric power, the previous literature showed that the power conversion can be well predicted without much consideration for the effect of dielectric loss. Yet, as the conversion power gets higher by adopting power-boosting interface circuits, such as synchronized switch harvesting on inductor (SSHI), the neglect of dielectric loss might give rise to deviation in harvested power estimation. Given the continuous progress on power-boosting interface circuits, the role of dielectric loss in practical piezoelectric energy harvesting (PEH) systems should receive attention with better evaluation. Based on the integrated equivalent impedance network model, this fast track communication provides a comprehensive study on the susceptibility of harvested power in PEH systems under different conditions. It shows that, dielectric loss always counteracts piezoelectric power harvesting by causing charge leakage across piezoelectric capacitance. In particular, taking corresponding ideal lossless cases as references, the counteractive effect might be aggravated under one of the five conditions: larger dielectric loss tangent, lower vibration frequency, further away from resonance, weaker electromechanical coupling, or using power-boosting interface circuit. These relationships are valuable for the study of PEH systems, as they not only help explain the role of dielectric loss in piezoelectric power harvesting, but also add complementary insights for material, structure, excitation, and circuit considerations towards holistic evaluation and design for practical PEH systems.

  20. Dielectric loss against piezoelectric power harvesting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liang, Junrui; Shu-Hung Chung, Henry; Liao, Wei-Hsin

    2014-01-01

    Piezoelectricity is one of the most popular electromechanical transduction mechanisms for constructing kinetic energy harvesting systems. When a standard energy harvesting (SEH) interface circuit, i.e., bridge rectifier plus filter capacitor, is utilized for collecting piezoelectric power, the previous literature showed that the power conversion can be well predicted without much consideration for the effect of dielectric loss. Yet, as the conversion power gets higher by adopting power-boosting interface circuits, such as synchronized switch harvesting on inductor (SSHI), the neglect of dielectric loss might give rise to deviation in harvested power estimation. Given the continuous progress on power-boosting interface circuits, the role of dielectric loss in practical piezoelectric energy harvesting (PEH) systems should receive attention with better evaluation. Based on the integrated equivalent impedance network model, this fast track communication provides a comprehensive study on the susceptibility of harvested power in PEH systems under different conditions. It shows that, dielectric loss always counteracts piezoelectric power harvesting by causing charge leakage across piezoelectric capacitance. In particular, taking corresponding ideal lossless cases as references, the counteractive effect might be aggravated under one of the five conditions: larger dielectric loss tangent, lower vibration frequency, further away from resonance, weaker electromechanical coupling, or using power-boosting interface circuit. These relationships are valuable for the study of PEH systems, as they not only help explain the role of dielectric loss in piezoelectric power harvesting, but also add complementary insights for material, structure, excitation, and circuit considerations towards holistic evaluation and design for practical PEH systems. (fast track communications)

  1. Radial-Electric-Field Piezoelectric Diaphragm Pumps

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bryant, Robert G.; Working, Dennis C.; Mossi, Karla; Castro, Nicholas D.; Mane, Pooma

    2009-01-01

    In a recently invented class of piezoelectric diaphragm pumps, the electrode patterns on the piezoelectric diaphragms are configured so that the electric fields in the diaphragms have symmetrical radial (along-the-surface) components in addition to through-the-thickness components. Previously, it was accepted in the piezoelectric-transducer art that in order to produce the out-of-plane bending displacement of a diaphragm needed for pumping, one must make the electric field asymmetrical through the thickness, typically by means of electrodes placed on only one side of the piezoelectric material. In the present invention, electrodes are placed on both sides and patterned so as to produce substantial radial as well as through-the-thickness components. Moreover, unlike in the prior art, the electric field can be symmetrical through the thickness. Tests have shown in a given diaphragm that an electrode configuration according to this invention produces more displacement than does a conventional one-sided electrode pattern. The invention admits of numerous variations characterized by various degrees of complexity. Figure 1 is a simplified depiction of a basic version. As in other piezoelectric diaphragm pumps of similar basic design, the prime mover is a piezoelectric diaphragm. Application of a suitable voltage to the electrodes on the diaphragm causes it to undergo out-of-plane bending. The bending displacement pushes a fluid out of, or pulls the fluid into, a chamber bounded partly by the diaphragm. Also as in other diaphragm pumps in general, check valves ensure that the fluid flows only in through one port and only out through another port.

  2. Phase structure and piezoelectric properties of Li-modified NKLN lead-free piezoelectric ceramics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Sin-Woong; Lee, Sung-Chan; Kim, Min-Soo; Jeong, Soon-Jong; Kim, In-Sung; Song, Jae-Sung

    2012-01-01

    Through the low-temperature sintering method, a sintered body with excellent characteristics was produced in an eco-friendly niobate-based piezoelectric ceramic, whose application was low in expectation due to poor sinterability. Li 2 CO 3 was added in excess to (Na 0.49 K 0.45 Li 0.06 )NbO 3 , and ceramics were manufactured using a commercial sintering method. Then, the sinterability and the piezoelectric properties of the specimens containing varying amounts of Li 2 CO 3 were investigated. The microstructure demonstrated the typical abnormal grain growth tendencies with the addition of Li 2 CO 3 , and this was explained through changes in the critical driving force in the interface reaction-controlled nucleation and growth theory. When the specimen had been sintered at 1000 .deg. C for 4 hours in air after the addition of 1.5 mol% Li 2 CO 3 , the sintered body showed outstanding characteristics with a piezoelectric coefficient of 180 pC/N, an electromechanical coupling coefficient of 0.32, and a dielectric constant of 975. These results showed that eco-friendly niobate-based ceramics, whose use in applications was expected to be difficult in spite of their excellent properties, could be used to produce piezoelectric materials with outstanding properties through a commercial low-temperature sintering method using additives.

  3. Phase structure and piezoelectric properties of Li-modified NKLN lead-free piezoelectric ceramics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Sin-Woong; Lee, Sung-Chan; Kim, Min-Soo; Jeong, Soon-Jong; Kim, In-Sung; Song, Jae-Sung [Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute, Changwon (Korea, Republic of)

    2012-09-15

    Through the low-temperature sintering method, a sintered body with excellent characteristics was produced in an eco-friendly niobate-based piezoelectric ceramic, whose application was low in expectation due to poor sinterability. Li{sub 2}CO{sub 3} was added in excess to (Na{sub 0.49}K{sub 0.45}Li{sub 0.06})NbO{sub 3}, and ceramics were manufactured using a commercial sintering method. Then, the sinterability and the piezoelectric properties of the specimens containing varying amounts of Li{sub 2}CO{sub 3} were investigated. The microstructure demonstrated the typical abnormal grain growth tendencies with the addition of Li{sub 2}CO{sub 3}, and this was explained through changes in the critical driving force in the interface reaction-controlled nucleation and growth theory. When the specimen had been sintered at 1000 .deg. C for 4 hours in air after the addition of 1.5 mol% Li{sub 2}CO{sub 3}, the sintered body showed outstanding characteristics with a piezoelectric coefficient of 180 pC/N, an electromechanical coupling coefficient of 0.32, and a dielectric constant of 975. These results showed that eco-friendly niobate-based ceramics, whose use in applications was expected to be difficult in spite of their excellent properties, could be used to produce piezoelectric materials with outstanding properties through a commercial low-temperature sintering method using additives.

  4. Development of High Performance Piezoelectric Polyimides

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simpson, Joycelyn O.; St.Clair, Terry L.; Welch, Sharon S.

    1996-01-01

    In this work a series of polyimides are investigated which exhibit a strong piezoelectric response and polarization stability at temperatures in excess of 100 C. This work was motivated by the need to develop piezoelectric sensors suitable for use in high temperature aerospace applications.

  5. Vibrations of Thin Piezoelectric Shallow Shells

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Abstract. In this paper we consider the eigenvalue problem for piezoelectric shallow shells and we show that, as the thickness of the shell goes to zero, the eigensolutions of the three-dimensional piezoelectric shells converge to the eigensolutions of a two-dimensional eigenvalue problem.

  6. Dielectric and piezoelectric properties of percolative three-phase piezoelectric polymer composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sundar, Udhay

    Three-phase piezoelectric bulk composites were fabricated using a mix and cast method. The composites were comprised of lead zirconate titanate (PZT), aluminum (Al) and an epoxy matrix. The volume fraction of the PZT and Al were varied from 0.1 to 0.3 and 0.0 to 0.17, respectively. The influences of three entities on piezoelectric and dielectric properties: inclusion of an electrically conductive filler (Al), poling process (contact and Corona) and Al surface treatment, were observed. The piezoelectric strain coefficient, d33, effective dielectric constant, epsilon r, capacitance, C, and resistivity were measured and compared according to poling process, volume fraction of constituent phases and Al surface treatment. The maximum values of d33 were 3.475 and 1.0 pC/N for Corona and contact poled samples respectively, for samples with volume fractions of 0.40 and 0.13 of PZT and Al (surface treated) respectively. Also, the maximum dielectric constant for the surface treated Al samples was 411 for volume fractions of 0.40 and 0.13 for PZT and Al respectively. The percolation threshold was observed to occur at an Al volume fraction of 0.13. The composites achieved a percolated state for Al volume fractions >0.13 for both contact and corona poled samples. In addition, a comparative time study was conducted to examine the influence of surface treatment processing time of Al particles. The effectiveness of the surface treatment, sample morphology and composition was observed with the aid of SEM and EDS images. These images were correlated with piezoelectric and dielectric properties. PZT-epoxy-aluminum thick films (200 mum) were also fabricated using a two-step spin coat deposition and annealing method. The PZT volume fraction were varied from 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4, wherein the Aluminum volume fraction was varied from 0.1 to 0.17 for each PZT volume fraction, respectively. The two-step process included spin coating the first layer at 500 RPM for 30 seconds, and the second

  7. Cylindrical Piezoelectric Fiber Composite Actuators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allison, Sidney G.; Shams, Qamar A.; Fox, Robert L.

    2008-01-01

    The use of piezoelectric devices has become widespread since Pierre and Jacques Curie discovered the piezoelectric effect in 1880. Examples of current applications of piezoelectric devices include ultrasonic transducers, micro-positioning devices, buzzers, strain sensors, and clocks. The invention of such lightweight, relatively inexpensive piezoceramic-fiber-composite actuators as macro fiber composite (MFC) actuators has made it possible to obtain strains and displacements greater than those that could be generated by prior actuators based on monolithic piezoceramic sheet materials. MFC actuators are flat, flexible actuators designed for bonding to structures to apply or detect strains. Bonding multiple layers of MFC actuators together could increase force capability, but not strain or displacement capability. Cylindrical piezoelectric fiber composite (CPFC) actuators have been invented as alternatives to MFC actuators for applications in which greater forces and/or strains or displacements may be required. In essence, a CPFC actuator is an MFC or other piezoceramic fiber composite actuator fabricated in a cylindrical instead of its conventional flat shape. Cylindrical is used here in the general sense, encompassing shapes that can have circular, elliptical, rectangular or other cross-sectional shapes in the planes perpendicular to their longitudinal axes.

  8. Photothermoacoustic effect in solids with piezoelectric detection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kozachenko, V. V.; Kucherov, I.Ya.

    2004-01-01

    Full text: In the last few years, a growing interest has been expressed in studies of substances in different aggregate states which were performed with the help of the photothermoacoustic PTA effect. Main in this method is use of thermal waves as the carrier of the information about properties of explored substance. The excitation of thermal waves is carried out, as a rule, by modulated light flux. A specific feature of the PTA effect is the dependence of the information obtained from it on the method used for detecting thermal waves. One of the most sensitive methods for detecting a PTA signal is the piezoelectric method. For studies of solids, the PTA effect in plates offers considerable promise. In this work, PTA effect in a solid-piezoelectric layered structure is studied theoretically and experimentally. The layered plate consisting of an isotropic solid and piezoelectric crystal of a class 6 mm (or piezoelectric ceramics) is considered. The surface of a solid body is uniformly irradiated with a modulated light flux. The sample is heated and the thermal waves are generated. In the sample, the temperature field of thermal waves generates, due to the thermoelastic effect, acoustic vibration and waves that are registered by a piezoelectric. Expressions for the potential difference U across an arbitrary layer of piezoelectric transducer are derived. The solid bodies with various optical and thermal properties for cases of one-layer and two-layer piezoelectric transducer are analyzed. In particular, is shown, that for the case two-layer piezoelectric transducer, in the high-frequency region, the amplitude ratio U 1 / U 2 the tangent of the phase difference tg(Δφ) of signals taken from individual layers of the transducer depend almost linearly on the inverse square root of the frequency f -1/2 . With use of these features, the new method of definition of some elastic and thermal parameters of solid bodies offered. An experiment is performed with samples Cu, Fe

  9. Giant Piezoelectricity and High Curie Temperature in Nanostructured Alkali Niobate Lead-Free Piezoceramics through Phase Coexistence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Bo; Wu, Haijun; Wu, Jiagang; Xiao, Dingquan; Zhu, Jianguo; Pennycook, Stephen J

    2016-11-30

    Because of growing environmental concerns, the development of lead-free piezoelectric materials with enhanced properties has become of great interest. Here, we report a giant piezoelectric coefficient (d 33 ) of 550 pC/N and a high Curie temperature (T C ) of 237 °C in (1-x-y)K 1-w Na w Nb 1-z Sb z O 3- xBiFeO 3- yBi 0.5 Na 0.5 ZrO 3 (KN w NS z -xBF-yBNZ) ceramics by optimizing x, y, z, and w. Atomic-resolution polarization mapping by Z-contrast imaging reveals the intimate coexistence of rhombohedral (R) and tetragonal (T) phases inside nanodomains, that is, a structural origin for the R-T phase boundary in the present KNN system. Hence, the physical origin of high piezoelectric performance can be attributed to a nearly vanishing polarization anisotropy and thus low domain wall energy, facilitating easy polarization rotation between different states under an external field.

  10. Piezoelectric Active Humidity Sensors Based on Lead-Free NaNbO3 Piezoelectric Nanofibers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li Gu

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The development of micro-/nano-scaled energy harvesters and the self-powered sensor system has attracted great attention due to the miniaturization and integration of the micro-device. In this work, lead-free NaNbO3 piezoelectric nanofibers with a monoclinic perovskite structure were synthesized by the far-field electrospinning method. The flexible active humidity sensors were fabricated by transferring the nanofibers from silicon to a soft polymer substrate. The sensors exhibited outstanding piezoelectric energy-harvesting performance with output voltage up to 2 V during the vibration process. The output voltage generated by the NaNbO3 sensors exhibited a negative correlation with the environmental humidity varying from 5% to 80%, where the peak-to-peak value of the output voltage generated by the sensors decreased from 0.40 to 0.07 V. The sensor also exhibited a short response time, good selectively against ethanol steam, and great temperature stability. The piezoelectric active humidity sensing property could be attributed to the increased leakage current in the NaNbO3 nanofibers, which was generated due to proton hopping among the H3O+ groups in the absorbed H2O layers under the driving force of the piezoelectric potential.

  11. Modeling guided wave excitation in plates with surface mounted piezoelectric elements: coupled physics and normal mode expansion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ren, Baiyang; Lissenden, Cliff J.

    2018-04-01

    Guided waves have been extensively studied and widely used for structural health monitoring because of their large volumetric coverage and good sensitivity to defects. Effectively and preferentially exciting a desired wave mode having good sensitivity to a certain defect is of great practical importance. Piezoelectric discs and plates are the most common types of surface-mounted transducers for guided wave excitation and reception. Their geometry strongly influences the proportioning between excited modes as well as the total power of the excited modes. It is highly desirable to predominantly excite the selected mode while the total transduction power is maximized. In this work, a fully coupled multi-physics finite element analysis, which incorporates the driving circuit, the piezoelectric element and the wave guide, is combined with the normal mode expansion method to study both the mode tuning and total wave power. The excitation of circular crested waves in an aluminum plate with circular piezoelectric discs is numerically studied for different disc and adhesive thicknesses. Additionally, the excitation of plane waves in an aluminum plate, using a stripe piezoelectric element is studied both numerically and experimentally. It is difficult to achieve predominant single mode excitation as well as maximum power transmission simultaneously, especially for higher order modes. However, guidelines for designing the geometry of piezoelectric elements for optimal mode excitation are recommended.

  12. A modified barbell-shaped PNN-PZT-PIN piezoelectric ceramic energy harvester

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Xiangyu; Wu, Jingen; Yu, Yang; Dong, Shuxiang

    2017-11-01

    The quaternary system of relaxor-ferroelectric based Pb(Ni1/3Nb2/3)O3-Pb(ZrxTi1-x)O3-Pb(In0.5Nb0.5)O3 (PNN-PZT-PIN) piezoelectric ceramic at the morphotropic phase boundary was investigated via the solid reaction method. The optimized ceramic with excellent electric properties of ɛr = 8084, d33 = 977 pC/N, kp = 0.61, and Ec = 3.0 kV/cm was fabricated into d33-mode discs with separated surface electrodes, which were arranged in a series connection and, then as a piezo-stack, assembled into a barbell-shaped energy harvester that could bear a strong mechanical vibration. It is found that under a vibration mass-induced bending moment, the energy harvester produces an open circuit voltage of 26.4 Vp-p at the acceleration of 2.5 g at a load of 1.56 MΩ, which is two times higher in comparison to one without surface electrode separation. Its power output is 30 μW at the acceleration of 1 g and 104 μW at 2.5 g, which are even six times higher than that of a previously reported barbell-shaped energy harvester at room-temperature with the same acceleration. The enhanced power output can be attributed to (i) the excellent piezoelectric response of PNN-PZT-PIN ceramic and (ii) harvesting positive and negative charges from the separated surface electrodes other than a full surface electrode on piezoelectric discs under bending moment. Furthermore, the practical test was performed within a car engine, which shows that the PNN-PZT-PIN piezoelectric ceramic is a promising candidate for vibration energy harvesting.

  13. Piezoelectricity in two dimensions: Graphene vs. molybdenum disulfide

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Xiaoxue; Hui, Fei; Knobloch, Theresia; Wang, Bingru; Fan, Zhongchao; Grasser, Tibor; Jing, Xu; Shi, Yuanyuan; Lanza, Mario

    2017-08-01

    The synthesis of piezoelectric two-dimensional (2D) materials is very attractive for implementing advanced energy harvesters and transducers, as these materials provide enormously large areas for the exploitation of the piezoelectric effect. Among all 2D materials, molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) has shown the largest piezoelectric activity. However, all research papers in this field studied just a single material, and this may raise concerns because different setups could provide different values depending on experimental parameters (e.g., probes used and areas analyzed). By using conductive atomic force microscopy, here we in situ demonstrate that the piezoelectric currents generated in MoS2 are gigantic (65 mA/cm2), while the same experiments in graphene just showed noise currents. These results provide the most reliable comparison yet reported on the piezoelectric effect in graphene and MoS2.

  14. Postbuckling Investigations of Piezoelectric Microdevices Considering Damage Effects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Zhigang; Wang, Xianqiao

    2014-01-01

    Piezoelectric material has been emerging as a popular building block in MEMS devices owing to its unique mechanical and electrical material properties. However, the reliability of MEMS devices under buckling deformation environments remains elusive and needs to be further explored. Based on the Talreja's tensor valued internal state damage variables as well as the Helmhotlz free energy of piezoelectric material, a constitutive model of piezoelectric materials with damage is presented. The Kachanvo damage evolution law under in-plane compressive loads is employed. The model is applied to the specific case of the postbuckling analysis of the piezoelectric plate with damage. Then, adopting von Karman's plate theory, the nonlinear governing equations of the piezoelectric plates with initial geometric deflection including damage effects under in-plane compressive loads are established. By using the finite difference method and the Newmark scheme, the damage evolution for damage accumulation is developed and the finite difference procedure for postbuckling equilibrium path is simultaneously employed. Numerical results show the postbuckling behaviors of initial flat and deflected piezoelectric plates with damage or no damage under different sets of electrical loading conditions. The effects of applied voltage, aspect ratio of plate, thick-span ratio of plate, damage as well as initial geometric deflections on the postbuckling behaviors of the piezoelectric plate are discussed. PMID:24618774

  15. Analytical, numerical, and experimental studies of viscoelastic effects on the performance of soft piezoelectric nanocomposites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jing; Zhu, Zhiren; Fang, Lichen; Guo, Shu; Erturun, Ugur; Zhu, Zeyu; West, James E; Ghosh, Somnath; Kang, Sung Hoon

    2017-09-28

    Piezoelectric composite (p-NC) made of a polymeric matrix and piezoelectric nanoparticles with conductive additives is an attractive material for many applications. As the matrix of p-NC is made of viscoelastic materials, both elastic and viscous characteristics of the matrix are expected to contribute to the piezoelectric response of p-NC. However, there is limited understanding of how viscoelasticity influences the piezoelectric performance of p-NC. Here we combined analytical and numerical analyses with experimental studies to investigate effects of viscoelasticity on piezoelectric performance of p-NC. The viscoelastic properties of synthesized p-NCs were controlled by changing the ratio between monomer and cross-linker of the polymer matrix. We found good agreement between our analytical models and experimental results for both quasi-static and dynamic loadings. It is found that, under quasi-static loading conditions, the piezoelectric coefficients (d 33 ) of the specimen with the lowest Young's modulus (∼0.45 MPa at 5% strain) were ∼120 pC N -1 , while the one with the highest Young's modulus (∼1.3 MPa at 5% strain) were ∼62 pC N -1 . The results suggest that softer matrices enhance the energy harvesting performance because they can result in larger deformation for a given load. Moreover, from our theoretical analysis and experiments under dynamic loading conditions, we found the viscous modulus of a matrix is also important for piezoelectric performance. For instance, at 40 Hz and 50 Hz the storage moduli of the softest specimen were ∼0.625 MPa and ∼0.485 MPa, while the loss moduli were ∼0.108 MPa and ∼0.151 MPa, respectively. As piezocomposites with less viscous loss can transfer mechanical energy to piezoelectric particles more efficiently, the dynamic piezoelectric coefficient (d' 33 ) measured at 40 Hz (∼53 pC N -1 ) was larger than that at 50 Hz (∼47 pC N -1 ) though it has a larger storage modulus. As an application of our findings

  16. Power enhancement of piezoelectric transformers by adding heat transfer equipment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Su, Yu-Hao; Liu, Yuan-Ping; Vasic, Dejan; Wu, Wen-Jong; Costa, François; Lee, Chih-Kung

    2012-10-01

    It is known that piezoelectric transformers have several inherent advantages compared with conventional electromagnetic transformers. However, the maximum power capacity of piezoelectric transformers is not as large as electromagnetic transformers in practice, especially in the case of high output current. The theoretical power density of piezoelectric transformers calculated by stress boundary can reach 330 W/cm(3), but no piezoelectric transformer has ever reached such a high power density in practice. The power density of piezoelectric transformers is limited to 33 W/cm(3) in practical applications. The underlying reason is that the maximum passing current of the piezoelectric material (mechanical current) is limited by the temperature rise caused by heat generation. To increase this current and the power capacity, we proposed to add a thermal pad to the piezoelectric transformer to dissipate heat. The experimental results showed that the proposed techniques can increase by 3 times the output current of the piezoelectric transformer. A theoretical-phenomenological model which explains the relationship between vibration velocity and generated heat is also established to verify the experimental results.

  17. Electronically droplet energy harvesting using piezoelectric cantilevers

    KAUST Repository

    Al Ahmad, Mahmoud Al; Jabbour, Ghassan E.

    2012-01-01

    A report is presented on free falling droplet energy harvesting using piezoelectric cantilevers. The harvester incorporates a multimorph clamped-free cantilever which is composed of five layers of lead zirconate titanate piezoelectric thick films

  18. Computational and Experimental Insight Into Single-Molecule Piezoelectric Materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marvin, Christopher Wayne

    Piezoelectric materials allow for the harvesting of ambient waste energy from the environment. Producing lightweight, highly responsive materials is a challenge for this type of material, requiring polymer, foam, or bio-inspired materials. In this dissertation, I explore the origin of the piezoelectric effect in single molecules through density functional theory (DFT), analyze the piezoresponse of bio-inspired peptidic materials through the use of atomic and piezoresponse force microscopy (AFM and PFM), and develop a novel class of materials combining flexible polyurethane foams and non-piezoelectric, polar dopants. For the DFT calculations, functional group, regiochemical, and heteroatom derivatives of [6]helicene were examined for their influence on the piezoelectric response. An aza[6]helicene derivative was found to have a piezoelectric response (108 pm/V) comparable to ceramics such as lead zirconium titanate (200+ pm/V). These computed materials have the possibility to compete with current field-leading piezomaterials such as lead zirconium titanate (PZT), zinc oxide (ZnO), and polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) and its derivatives. The use of AFM/PFM allows for the demonstration of the piezoelectric effect of the selfassembled monolayer (SAM) peptidic systems. Through PFM, the influence that the helicity and sequence of the peptide has on the overall response of the molecule can be analyzed. Finally, development of a novel class of piezoelectrics, the foam-based materials, expands the current understanding of the qualities required for a piezoelectric material from ceramic and rigid materials to more flexible, organic materials. Through the exploration of these novel types of piezoelectric materials, new design rules and figures of merit have been developed.

  19. Shunted Piezoelectric Vibration Damping Analysis Including Centrifugal Loading Effects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Min, James B.; Duffy, Kirsten P.; Provenza, Andrew J.

    2011-01-01

    Excessive vibration of turbomachinery blades causes high cycle fatigue problems which require damping treatments to mitigate vibration levels. One method is the use of piezoelectric materials as passive or active dampers. Based on the technical challenges and requirements learned from previous turbomachinery rotor blades research, an effort has been made to investigate the effectiveness of a shunted piezoelectric for the turbomachinery rotor blades vibration control, specifically for a condition with centrifugal rotation. While ample research has been performed on the use of a piezoelectric material with electric circuits to attempt to control the structural vibration damping, very little study has been done regarding rotational effects. The present study attempts to fill this void. Specifically, the objectives of this study are: (a) to create and analyze finite element models for harmonic forced response vibration analysis coupled with shunted piezoelectric circuits for engine blade operational conditions, (b) to validate the experimental test approaches with numerical results and vice versa, and (c) to establish a numerical modeling capability for vibration control using shunted piezoelectric circuits under rotation. Study has focused on a resonant damping control using shunted piezoelectric patches on plate specimens. Tests and analyses were performed for both non-spinning and spinning conditions. The finite element (FE) shunted piezoelectric circuit damping simulations were performed using the ANSYS Multiphysics code for the resistive and inductive circuit piezoelectric simulations of both conditions. The FE results showed a good correlation with experimental test results. Tests and analyses of shunted piezoelectric damping control, demonstrating with plate specimens, show a great potential to reduce blade vibrations under centrifugal loading.

  20. Development, Characterization and Piezoelectric Fatigue Behavior of Lead-Free Perovskite Piezoelectric Ceramics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patterson, Eric Andrew

    Much recent research has focused on the development lead-free perovskite piezoelectrics as environmentally compatible alternatives to lead zirconate titanate (PZT). Two main categories of lead free perovskite piezoelectric ceramic systems were investigated as potential replacements to lead zirconate titanate (PZT) for actuator devices. First, solid solutions based on Li, Ta, and Sb modified (K0.5Na0.5)NbO3 (KNN) lead-free perovskite systems were created using standard solid state methods. Secondly, Bi-based materials a variety of compositions were explored for (1-x)(Bi 0.5Na0.5)TiO3-xBi(Zn0.5Ti0.5)O 3 (BNT-BZT) and Bi(Zn0.5Ti0.5)O3-(Bi 0.5K0.5)TiO3-(Bi0.5Na0.5)TiO 3 (BZT-BKT-BNT). It was shown that when BNT-BKT is combined with increasing concentrations of Bi(Zn1/2i1/2)O3 (BZT), a transition from normal ferroelectric behavior to a material with large electric field induced strains was observed. The higher BZT containing compositions are characterized by large hysteretic strains(> 0.3%) with no negative strains that might indicate domain switching. This work summarizes and analyzes the fatigue behavior of the new generation of Pb-free piezoelectric materials. In piezoelectric materials, fatigue is observed as a degradation in the electromechanical properties under the application of a bipolar or unipolar cyclic electrical load. In Pb-based materials such as lead zirconate titanate (PZT), fatigue has been studied in great depth for both bulk and thin film applications. In PZT, fatigue can result from microcracking or electrode effects (especially in thin films). Ultimately, however, it is electronic and ionic point defects that are the most influential mechanism. Therefore, this work also analyzes the fatigue characteristics of bulk polycrystalline ceramics of the modified-KNN and BNT-BKT-BZT compositions developed. The defect chemistry that underpins the fatigue behavior will be examined and the results will be compared to the existing body of work on PZT. It will

  1. Progress in Dual (Piezoelectric-Magnetostrictive Phase Magnetoelectric Sintered Composites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rashed Adnan Islam

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The primary aims of this review article are (a to develop the fundamental understanding of ME behavior in perovskite piezoelectric-spinel magnetostrictive composite systems, (b to identify the role of composition, microstructural variables, phase transformations, composite geometry, and postsintering heat treatment on ME coefficient, and (c to synthesize, characterize, and utilize the high ME coefficient composite. The desired range of ME coefficient in the sintered composite is 0.5–1 V/cm⋅Oe. The studies showed that the soft piezoelectric phase quantified by smaller elastic modulus, large grain size of piezoelectric phase (~1 μm, and layered structures yields higher magnitude of ME coefficient. It is also found that postsintering thermal treatment such as annealing and aging alters the magnitude of magnetization providing an increase in the magnitude of ME coefficient. A trilayer composite was synthesized using pressure-assisted sintering with soft phase [0.9 PZT–0.1 PZN] having grain size larger than 1 μm and soft ferromagnetic phase of composition Ni0.8Cu0.2Zn0.2Fe2O4 [NCZF]. The composite showed a high ME coefficient of 412 and 494 mV/cm⋅Oe after sintering and annealing, respectively. Optimized ferrite to PZT thickness ratio was found to be 5.33, providing ME coefficient of 525 mV/cm⋅Oe. The ME coefficient exhibited orientation dependence with respect to applied magnetic field. Multilayering the PZT layer increased the magnitude of ME coefficient to 782 mV/cm⋅Oe. Piezoelectric grain texturing and nanoparticulate assembly techniques were incorporated with the layered geometry. It was found that with moderate texturing, d33 and ME coefficient reached up to 325 pC/N and 878 mV/cm⋅Oe, respectively. Nanoparticulate core shell assembly shows the promise for achieving large ME coefficient in the sintered composites. A systematic relationship between composition, microstructure, geometry, and properties is

  2. Ab Initio Prediction of Piezoelectricity in Two-Dimensional Materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blonsky, Michael N; Zhuang, Houlong L; Singh, Arunima K; Hennig, Richard G

    2015-10-27

    Two-dimensional (2D) materials present many unique materials concepts, including material properties that sometimes differ dramatically from those of their bulk counterparts. One of these properties, piezoelectricity, is important for micro- and nanoelectromechanical systems applications. Using symmetry analysis, we determine the independent piezoelectric coefficients for four groups of predicted and synthesized 2D materials. We calculate with density-functional perturbation theory the stiffness and piezoelectric tensors of these materials. We determine the in-plane piezoelectric coefficient d11 for 37 materials within the families of 2D metal dichalcogenides, metal oxides, and III-V semiconductor materials. A majority of the structures, including CrSe2, CrTe2, CaO, CdO, ZnO, and InN, have d11 coefficients greater than 5 pm/V, a typical value for bulk piezoelectric materials. Our symmetry analysis shows that buckled 2D materials exhibit an out-of-plane coefficient d31. We find that d31 for 8 III-V semiconductors ranges from 0.02 to 0.6 pm/V. From statistical analysis, we identify correlations between the piezoelectric coefficients and the electronic and structural properties of the 2D materials that elucidate the origin of the piezoelectricity. Among the 37 2D materials, CdO, ZnO, and CrTe2 stand out for their combination of large piezoelectric coefficient and low formation energy and are recommended for experimental exploration.

  3. Piezoelectric polydimethylsiloxane films for MEMS transducers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Jhih-Jhe; Hsu, Tsung-Hsing; Yeh, Che-Nan; Tsai, Jui-Wei; Su, Yu-Chuan

    2012-01-01

    We have successfully demonstrated the fabrication of piezoelectric polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) films utilizing multilayer casting, stacking, surface coating and micro plasma discharge processes. To realize the desired electromechanical sensitivity, cellular PDMS structures with micrometer-sized voids are implanted with bipolar charges on the opposite inner surfaces. The implanted charge pairs function as dipoles, which respond promptly to diverse electromechanical stimulation. In the prototype demonstration, cellular PDMS films with various void geometries are fabricated and internally coated with a thin layer of polytetrafluoroethylene, which can help secure the implanted charges. An electric field up to 35 MV m −1 is applied across the fabricated PDMS films to ionize the air in the voids and to accelerate the resulting bipolar charges to bombard the opposite inner surfaces. The resulting charge-implanted, cellular PDMS films show a low effective elastic modulus (E) of about 500 kPa, and a piezoelectric coefficient (d 33 ) higher than 300 pC N −1 , which is more than ten times higher than those of common piezoelectric polymers (e.g. polyvinylidene fluoride). Furthermore, the piezoelectricity of the PDMS films can be tailored by adjusting the dimensions of the cellular structures. As such, the demonstrated piezoelectric PDMS films could potentially serve as flexible and sensitive electromechanical materials, and fulfill the needs of a variety of sensor and energy harvesting applications. (paper)

  4. Human-computer interface glove using flexible piezoelectric sensors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cha, Youngsu; Seo, Jeonggyu; Kim, Jun-Sik; Park, Jung-Min

    2017-05-01

    In this note, we propose a human-computer interface glove based on flexible piezoelectric sensors. We select polyvinylidene fluoride as the piezoelectric material for the sensors because of advantages such as a steady piezoelectric characteristic and good flexibility. The sensors are installed in a fabric glove by means of pockets and Velcro bands. We detect changes in the angles of the finger joints from the outputs of the sensors, and use them for controlling a virtual hand that is utilized in virtual object manipulation. To assess the sensing ability of the piezoelectric sensors, we compare the processed angles from the sensor outputs with the real angles from a camera recoding. With good agreement between the processed and real angles, we successfully demonstrate the user interaction system with the virtual hand and interface glove based on the flexible piezoelectric sensors, for four hand motions: fist clenching, pinching, touching, and grasping.

  5. Piezoelectric coefficients and spontaneous polarization of ScAlN

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Caro, Miguel A; Laurila, Tomi; Zhang, Siyuan; Moram, Michelle A; Riekkinen, Tommi; Ylilammi, Markku; Molarius, Jyrki; Lopez-Acevedo, Olga

    2015-01-01

    We present a computational study of spontaneous polarization and piezoelectricity in Sc x Al 1−x N alloys in the compositional range from x = 0 to x = 0.5, obtained in the context of density functional theory and the Berry-phase theory of electric polarization using large periodic supercells. We report composition-dependent values of piezoelectric coefficients e ij , piezoelectric moduli d ij and elastic constants C ij . The theoretical findings are complemented with experimental measurement of e 33 for a series of sputtered ScAlN films carried out with a piezoelectric resonator. The rapid increase with Sc content of the piezoelectric response reported in previous studies is confirmed for the available data. A detailed description of the full methodology required to calculate the piezoelectric properties of ScAlN, with application to other complex alloys, is presented. In particular, we find that the large amount of internal strain present in ScAlN and its intricate relation with electric polarization make configurational sampling and the use of large supercells at different compositions necessary in order to accurately derive the piezoelectric response of the material. (paper)

  6. Extrusion and properties of lead zirconate titanate piezoelectric ceramics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Cai, S.; Millar, C.E.; Pedersen, L.

    1997-01-01

    The purpose of this work was to develop a procedure for fabricating electroceramic actuators with good piezoelectric properties. The preparation of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) piezoelectric ceramic rods and tubes by extrusion processing is described. The microstructure of extrudates was investi......The purpose of this work was to develop a procedure for fabricating electroceramic actuators with good piezoelectric properties. The preparation of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) piezoelectric ceramic rods and tubes by extrusion processing is described. The microstructure of extrudates...

  7. Energy Harvesting From Low Frequency Applications Using Piezoelectric Materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Huidong; Tian, Chuan; Deng, Zhiqun

    2014-11-06

    This paper reviewed the state of research on piezoelectric energy harvesters. Various types of harvester configurations, piezoelectric materials, and techniques used to improve the mechanical-to-electrical energy conversion efficiency were discussed. Most of the piezoelectric energy harvesters studied today have focused on scavenging mechanical energy from vibration sources due to their abundance in both natural and industrial environments. Cantilever beams have been the most studied structure for piezoelectric energy harvester to date because of the high responsiveness to small vibrations.

  8. A New Method for a Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting System Using a Backtracking Search Algorithm-Based PI Voltage Controller

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mahidur R. Sarker

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a new method for a vibration-based piezoelectric energy harvesting system using a backtracking search algorithm (BSA-based proportional-integral (PI voltage controller. This technique eliminates the exhaustive conventional trial-and-error procedure for obtaining optimized parameter values of proportional gain (Kp, and integral gain (Ki for PI voltage controllers. The generated estimate values of Kp and Ki are executed in the PI voltage controller that is developed through the BSA optimization technique. In this study, mean absolute error (MAE is used as an objective function to minimize output error for a piezoelectric energy harvesting system (PEHS. The model for the PEHS is designed and analyzed using the BSA optimization technique. The BSA-based PI voltage controller of the PEHS produces a significant improvement in minimizing the output error of the converter and a robust, regulated pulse-width modulation (PWM signal to convert a MOSFET switch, with the best response in terms of rise time and settling time under various load conditions.

  9. Characterization of a Piezoelectric Buzzer Using a Michelson Interferometer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lloyd, S.; Paetkau, M.

    2010-01-01

    A piezoelectric material generates an electric potential across its surface when subjected to mechanical stress; conversely, the inverse piezoelectric effect describes the expansion or contraction of the material when subjected to some applied voltage. Piezoelectric materials are used in devices such as doorbell buzzers, barbeque igniters, and…

  10. Experimental Analysis of a Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting System for Harmonic, Random, and Sine on Random Vibration

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cryns, Jackson W.; Hatchell, Brian K.; Santiago-Rojas, Emiliano; Silvers, Kurt L.

    2013-07-01

    Formal journal article Experimental analysis of a piezoelectric energy harvesting system for harmonic, random, and sine on random vibration Abstract: Harvesting power with a piezoelectric vibration powered generator using a full-wave rectifier conditioning circuit is experimentally compared for varying sinusoidal, random and sine on random (SOR) input vibration scenarios. Additionally, the implications of source vibration characteristics on harvester design are discussed. Studies in vibration harvesting have yielded numerous alternatives for harvesting electrical energy from vibrations but piezoceramics arose as the most compact, energy dense means of energy transduction. The rise in popularity of harvesting energy from ambient vibrations has made piezoelectric generators commercially available. Much of the available literature focuses on maximizing harvested power through nonlinear processing circuits that require accurate knowledge of generator internal mechanical and electrical characteristics and idealization of the input vibration source, which cannot be assumed in general application. In this manuscript, variations in source vibration and load resistance are explored for a commercially available piezoelectric generator. We characterize the source vibration by its acceleration response for repeatability and transcription to general application. The results agree with numerical and theoretical predictions for in previous literature that load optimal resistance varies with transducer natural frequency and source type, and the findings demonstrate that significant gains are seen with lower tuned transducer natural frequencies for similar source amplitudes. Going beyond idealized steady state sinusoidal and simplified random vibration input, SOR testing allows for more accurate representation of real world ambient vibration. It is shown that characteristic interactions from more complex vibrational sources significantly alter power generation and power processing

  11. Piezoelectric Templates – New Views on Biomineralization and Biomimetics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stitz, Nina; Eiben, Sabine; Atanasova, Petia; Domingo, Neus; Leineweber, Andreas; Burghard, Zaklina; Bill, Joachim

    2016-01-01

    Biomineralization in general is based on electrostatic interactions and molecular recognition of organic and inorganic phases. These principles of biomineralization have also been utilized and transferred to bio-inspired synthesis of functional materials during the past decades. Proteins involved in both, biomineralization and bio-inspired processes, are often piezoelectric due to their dipolar character hinting to the impact of a template’s piezoelectricity on mineralization processes. However, the piezoelectric contribution on the mineralization process and especially the interaction of organic and inorganic phases is hardly considered so far. We herein report the successful use of the intrinsic piezoelectric properties of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) to synthesize piezoelectric ZnO. Such films show a two-fold increase of the piezoelectric coefficient up to 7.2 pm V−1 compared to films synthesized on non-piezoelectric templates. By utilizing the intrinsic piezoelectricity of a biotemplate, we thus established a novel synthesis pathway towards functional materials, which sheds light on the whole field of biomimetics. The obtained results are of even broader and general interest since they are providing a new, more comprehensive insight into the mechanisms involved into biomineralization in living nature. PMID:27212583

  12. Low-Temperature Solution Processable Electrodes for Piezoelectric Sensors Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tuukkanen, Sampo; Julin, Tuomas; Rantanen, Ville; Zakrzewski, Mari; Moilanen, Pasi; Lupo, Donald

    2013-05-01

    Piezoelectric thin-film sensors are suitable for a wide range of applications from physiological measurements to industrial monitoring systems. The use of flexible materials in combination with high-throughput printing technologies enables cost-effective manufacturing of custom-designed, highly integratable piezoelectric sensors. This type of sensor can, for instance, improve industrial process control or enable the embedding of ubiquitous sensors in our living environment to improve quality of life. Here, we discuss the benefits, challenges and potential applications of piezoelectric thin-film sensors. The piezoelectric sensor elements are fabricated by printing electrodes on both sides of unmetallized poly(vinylidene fluoride) film. We show that materials which are solution processable in low temperatures, biocompatible and environmental friendly are suitable for use as electrode materials in piezoelectric sensors.

  13. Enhanced piezoelectricity in A B O3 ferroelectrics via intrinsic stress-driven flattening of the free-energy profile

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feng, Yu; Li, Wei-Li; Yu, Yang; Jia, He-Nan; Qiao, Yu-Long; Fei, Wei-Dong

    2017-11-01

    An approach to greatly enhance the piezoelectric properties (˜4 00 pC/N) of the tetragonal BaTi O3 polycrystal using a small number of A -site acceptor-donor substitutions [D. Xu et al., Acta Mater. 79, 84 (2014), 10.1016/j.actamat.2014.07.023] has been proposed. In this study, Pb (ZrTi ) O3 (PZT) based polycrystals with various crystal symmetries (tetragonal, rhombohedral, and so on) were chosen to investigate the piezoelectricity enhancement mechanism. X-ray diffraction results show that doping generates an intrinsic uniaxial compressive stress along the [001] pc direction in the A B O3 lattices. Piezoelectric maps in the parameter space of temperature and Ti concentration in the PZT and doped system show a more significant enhancement effect of L i+-A l3 + codoping in tetragonal PZT than in the rhombohedral phase. Phenomenological thermodynamic analysis indicates that the compressive stress results in more serious flattening of the free-energy profile in tetragonal PZT, compared with that in the rhombohedral phase. The chemical stress obtained by this acceptor-donor codoping can be utilized to optimize the piezoelectric performance on the tetragonal-phase site of the morphotropic phase boundary in the PZT system. The present study provides a promising route to the large piezoelectric effect induced by chemical-stress-driven flattening of the free-energy profile.

  14. State-of-the-art piezoelectric transformer-based switch mode power supplies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ekhtiari, Marzieh; Zhang, Zhe; Andersen, Michael A. E.

    2014-01-01

    Inductorless switch mode power supplies based on piezoelectric transformers are used to replace conventional transformers in high power density switch mode power supplies. Even though piezoelectric-based converters exhibit a high d egree of nonlinearity, it is desirable to use piezoelectric transfo...... discusses power supplies with the trend evaluation of piezoelectric transformer-based converter topologies and control methods. The challenges of piezoelectric transformers regarding soft switching capability and nonlinearity are addressed. This paper can be used as a guideline f or choosing a proper...... topology of piezoelectric-based switch mode power supply and a control method for the required application....

  15. Electronically droplet energy harvesting using piezoelectric cantilevers

    KAUST Repository

    Al Ahmad, Mahmoud Al

    2012-01-01

    A report is presented on free falling droplet energy harvesting using piezoelectric cantilevers. The harvester incorporates a multimorph clamped-free cantilever which is composed of five layers of lead zirconate titanate piezoelectric thick films. During the impact, the droplet kinetic energy is transferred into the form of mechanical stress forcing the piezoelectric structure to vibrate. Experimental results show energy of 0.3 μJ per droplet. The scenario of moderate falling drop intensity, i.e. 230 drops per second, yields a total energy of 400 μJ. © 2012 The Institution of Engineering and Technology.

  16. Modeling the Insertion Mechanics of Flexible Neural Probes Coated with Sacrificial Polymers for Optimizing Probe Design

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sagar Singh

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Single-unit recording neural probes have significant advantages towards improving signal-to-noise ratio and specificity for signal acquisition in brain-to-computer interface devices. Long-term effectiveness is unfortunately limited by the chronic injury response, which has been linked to the mechanical mismatch between rigid probes and compliant brain tissue. Small, flexible microelectrodes may overcome this limitation, but insertion of these probes without buckling requires supporting elements such as a stiff coating with a biodegradable polymer. For these coated probes, there is a design trade-off between the potential for successful insertion into brain tissue and the degree of trauma generated by the insertion. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a finite element model (FEM to simulate insertion of coated neural probes of varying dimensions and material properties into brain tissue. Simulations were performed to predict the buckling and insertion forces during insertion of coated probes into a tissue phantom with material properties of brain. The simulations were validated with parallel experimental studies where probes were inserted into agarose tissue phantom, ex vivo chick embryonic brain tissue, and ex vivo rat brain tissue. Experiments were performed with uncoated copper wire and both uncoated and coated SU-8 photoresist and Parylene C probes. Model predictions were found to strongly agree with experimental results (<10% error. The ratio of the predicted buckling force-to-predicted insertion force, where a value greater than one would ideally be expected to result in successful insertion, was plotted against the actual success rate from experiments. A sigmoidal relationship was observed, with a ratio of 1.35 corresponding to equal probability of insertion and failure, and a ratio of 3.5 corresponding to a 100% success rate. This ratio was dubbed the “safety factor”, as it indicated the degree to which the coating

  17. Electromechanical displacement of piezoelectric-electrostrictive monolithic bilayer composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ngernchuklin, P.; Akdoǧan, E. K.; Safari, A.; Jadidian, B.

    2009-02-01

    We examine the electromechanical displacement of piezoelectric-electrostrictive monolithic bilayer composites with various piezoelectric volume percentage obtained by cosintering piezoelectric 0.65Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.35PbTiO3 and electrostrictive 0.9Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/.3)O3-0.1PbTiO3 under unipolar and bipolar electric field excitation up to 10 kV/cm experimentally. It is shown that the effective d33 of the composites is limited by the electrostrictive layer, which acts as a capacitor in series to the piezoelectric layer, causing incomplete poling. We show that by controlling the volume content of the piezoelectric layer and constraining it with an electrostrictor, substantial strain amplification (15 μm for bipolar excitation) can be achieved while inducing asymmetry to the displacement with respect to the polarity of the applied field, which we discuss in the context of symmetry superposition.

  18. Modeling and analysis of a biomorph piezoelectric energy harvester for railway bridge monitoring

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jingcheng; Jang, Shinae; Tang, Jiong

    2012-04-01

    Wireless sensor network is one of prospective methods for railway bridge health monitoring. It has drawn much attention due to the long-term operation and low-maintenance performances. However, how to provide power to wireless sensors is a big issue. In railway health monitoring, the idea of converting ambient vibration energy from the vibration of railway track induced by passing train to electric energy has made it an efficient way for powering the wireless sensor networks. In this paper, a bimorph piezoelectric energy harvester from base excitation was investigated in the laboratory, and the energy output of the bimorph energy harvester was predicted by an equivalent single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) model. Reasonable results have been found between the tested and predicted data. Based on the theoretical model, further works on optimization of the bimorph piezoelectric energy harvester will be performed in future.

  19. Performance of a piezoelectric energy harvester in actual rain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wong, Voon-Kean; Ho, Jee-Hou; Chai, Ai-Bao

    2017-01-01

    When raindrops impact on the surface of a piezoelectric beam, strain energy produced by the impinging raindrop will be converted to harvestable electrical energy by the piezoelectric layers in a cantilever beam. The novelty of this study is to investigate the performance of the harvester in actual rain and provide practical insights on implementation. The influences of rain parameters such as rain rate, rainfall depth, raindrop count, and drop size distribution (DSD) are discussed in this study. The raindrops accumulated on the surface of the piezoelectric beam will form a water layer. It is described using added mass coefficient in this study. In an actual rain experiment, a piezoelectric beam with surface area of 0.0018 m 2 is able to produce 2076 μJ of energy over a duration of 301 min. The energy generation of a raindrop impact piezoelectric energy harvester is highly dependent on the rain rate. Due to the inconsistency of the energy generation, the piezoelectric energy harvester would require an integration of suitable energy storage device for continuous operation. Nevertheless, this work shows the feasibility of harvesting raindrop energy using a piezoelectric beam. - Highlights: • The performance of a piezoelectric rain energy harvester is tested in actual rain. • The energy generation is highly dependent on the rain rate. • Practical insights on the implementation of the harvester are discussed. • A total energy of 2076 μJ is generated over a duration of 301 min.

  20. Biodegradable Piezoelectric Force Sensor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Curry, Eli J; Ke, Kai; Chorsi, Meysam T; Wrobel, Kinga S; Miller, Albert N; Patel, Avi; Kim, Insoo; Feng, Jianlin; Yue, Lixia; Wu, Qian; Kuo, Chia-Ling; Lo, Kevin W-H; Laurencin, Cato T; Ilies, Horea; Purohit, Prashant K; Nguyen, Thanh D

    2018-01-30

    Measuring vital physiological pressures is important for monitoring health status, preventing the buildup of dangerous internal forces in impaired organs, and enabling novel approaches of using mechanical stimulation for tissue regeneration. Pressure sensors are often required to be implanted and directly integrated with native soft biological systems. Therefore, the devices should be flexible and at the same time biodegradable to avoid invasive removal surgery that can damage directly interfaced tissues. Despite recent achievements in degradable electronic devices, there is still a tremendous need to develop a force sensor which only relies on safe medical materials and requires no complex fabrication process to provide accurate information on important biophysiological forces. Here, we present a strategy for material processing, electromechanical analysis, device fabrication, and assessment of a piezoelectric Poly-l-lactide (PLLA) polymer to create a biodegradable, biocompatible piezoelectric force sensor, which only employs medical materials used commonly in Food and Drug Administration-approved implants, for the monitoring of biological forces. We show the sensor can precisely measure pressures in a wide range of 0-18 kPa and sustain a reliable performance for a period of 4 d in an aqueous environment. We also demonstrate this PLLA piezoelectric sensor can be implanted inside the abdominal cavity of a mouse to monitor the pressure of diaphragmatic contraction. This piezoelectric sensor offers an appealing alternative to present biodegradable electronic devices for the monitoring of intraorgan pressures. The sensor can be integrated with tissues and organs, forming self-sensing bionic systems to enable many exciting applications in regenerative medicine, drug delivery, and medical devices.

  1. Study of damping in 5 kWh superconductor flywheel energy storage system using a piezoelectric actuator

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jang, H.K.; Song, D.; Kim, S.B. [Hanyang University, 17 Haengdang-Dong, Seongdong-Gu, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of); Han, S.C. [Korea Electric Power Research Institute, 103-16 Munji-Ro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon 305-380 (Korea, Republic of); Sung, T.H., E-mail: sungth@hanyang.ac.kr [Hanyang University, 17 Haengdang-Dong, Seongdong-Gu, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of)

    2012-05-15

    A 5 kWh superconductor flywheel energy storage system (SFES) has advantages in terms of high electrical energy density, environmental affinity and long life. However, the SFES has disadvantage that electromagnetic damper is needed because superconducting bearings do not have enough damping coefficient. The purpose of this experiment is to develop a method of damping the vibration of the SFES. A piezoelectric actuator was attached to a superconducting bearing system for feasibility test in order to make it as a damper of the SFES. For this experiment, a cylindrical permanent magnet (PM) 40 mm in diameter and 10 mm height was used as a rotor, a high-temperature superconductor bulk (HTS bulk) with dimensions 40 mm Multiplication-Sign 40 mm Multiplication-Sign 15 mm was used as a stator, and two vibration exciters (an upper and a lower vibration exciter) and a piezoelectric actuator were used. The PM was fixed on the upper vibration exciter. The HTS bulk was fixed on either the lower vibration exciter to test for damping in the feasibility test, or on the piezoelectric actuator for the actual SFES. The conditions of this experiment included various voltage outputs of a power amplifier to the lower vibration exciter, moving distances of the piezoelectric actuator which are displacements of the HTS bulk, and phase differences between the upper and lower vibration exciter or the piezoelectric actuator. The damping feasibility test was conducted with a 300 {mu}m gap between the PM and HTS bulk with a PM vibration of 30 {mu}m. For the actual SFES test, the gap between the PM and HTS bulk was 1.6 mm and the PM vibration was 25 {mu}m. The following conditions were conducted to optimize: an appropriate voltage input to the lower vibration exciter or a displacement of piezoelectric actuator and an appropriate phase difference. When the piezoelectric actuator was used, the damping effect was greatly improved up to 92.32% which a displacement of damped PM was 1.92 {mu}m.

  2. Variational principles for nonlinear piezoelectric materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rodriguez-Ramos, R.; Guinovart-Diaz, R. [Universidad de la Habana, Facultad de Matematica y Computacion, Vedado, Habana (Cuba); Pobedria, B.E. [Moscow State University M. V. Lomonosov, Composites Department, Moscow (Russian Federation); Padilla, P. [Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Instituto de Investigaciones en Matematicas Aplicadas y en Sistemas (IIMAS), Cd. Universitaria, Mexico D.F. (Mexico); Bravo-Castillero, J. [Universidad de la Habana, Facultad de Matematica y Computacion, Vedado, Habana (Cuba); Campus Estado de Mexico. Division de Arquitectura e Ingenieria, Instituto Tecnologico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Atizapan de Zaragoza, Estado de Mexico (Mexico); Maugin, G.A. [Universite Pierre et Marie Curie. Case 162, UMR 7607 CNRS, Laboratoire de Modelisation en Mecanique, Paris Cedex 05 (France)

    2004-12-01

    In the present paper, we consider the behavior of nonlinear piezoelectric materials by generalization for this case of the Hashin-Shtrikman variational principles. The new general formulation used here differs from others, because, it gives the possibility to evaluate the upper and lower Hashin-Shtrikman bounds for specific physical nonlinearities of piezoelectric materials. Geometrical nonlinearities are not considered. (orig.)

  3. Piezoelectric MEMS sensors: state-of-the-art and perspectives

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tadigadapa, S; Mateti, K

    2009-01-01

    Over the past two decades, several advances have been made in micromachined sensors and actuators. As the field of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) has advanced, a clear need for the integration of materials other than silicon and its compounds into micromachined transducers has emerged. Piezoelectric materials are high energy density materials that scale very favorably upon miniaturization and that has led to an ever-growing interest in piezoelectric films for MEMS applications. At this time, piezoelectric aluminum-nitride-based film bulk acoustic resonators (FBAR) have already been successfully commercialized. Future innovations and improvements in inertial sensors for navigation, high-frequency crystal oscillators and filters for wireless applications, microactuators for RF applications, chip-scale chemical analysis systems and countless other applications hinge upon the successful miniaturization of components and integration of piezoelectrics and metals into these systems. In this article, a comprehensive review of micromachined piezoelectric transducer technology will be presented. Piezoelectric materials in bulk and thin film forms will be reviewed and fabrication techniques for the integration of these materials for microsensor applications will be presented. Recent advances in various piezoelectric microsensors will be presented through specific examples. This review will conclude with a critical assessment of the future trends and promise of this technology. (topical review)

  4. Modeling and experimental investigation of an impact-driven piezoelectric energy harvester from human motion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wei, Sheng; Hu, Hong; He, Siyuan

    2013-01-01

    An impact-driven piezoelectric energy harvester from human motion is proposed in this paper. A high-frequency PZT-5A bimorph cantilever beam with attached proof mass at the free end was selected. A frequency up-conversion strategy was realized using impulse force generated by human motion. An aluminum prototype was attached to the leg of a person on a treadmill and measurements taken of the dissipated electric energy across multiple resistances over a range of walking speeds. The outer dimensions of this prototype are 90 mm × 40 mm × 24 mm. It has been shown that the average output voltage generated by the piezoelectric bimorph increases sequentially with a faster walking speed, the power varies with the external resistances and maximum levels occur at the optimal resistance, which is consistent with the simulation result. An open circuit voltage of 2.47 V and maximum average power of 51 μW can be achieved across a 20 kΩ external load resistance and 5 km h −1 walking speed. Experimental results reveal that the impact-driven piezoelectric energy harvesting system mounted on a person’s leg has the potential for driving wearable devices. (paper)

  5. Theoretical Analysis of the Dynamic Properties of a 2-2 Cement-Based Piezoelectric Dual-Layer Stacked Sensor under Impact Load.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Taotao; Liao, Yangchao; Zhang, Keping; Chen, Jun

    2017-05-04

    Cement-based piezoelectric materials are widely used due to the fact that compared with common smart materials, they overcome the defects of structure-incompatibility and frequency inconsistency with a concrete structure. However, the present understanding of the mechanical behavior of cement-based piezoelectric smart materials under impact load is still limited. The dynamic characteristics under impact load are of importance, for example, for studying the anti-collision properties of engineering structures and aircraft takeoff-landing safety. Therefore, in this paper, an analytical model was proposed to investigate the dynamic properties of a 2-2 cement-based piezoelectric dual-layer stacked sensor under impact load based on the piezoelectric effect. Theoretical solutions are obtained by utilizing the variable separation and Duhamel integral method. To simulate the impact load and verify the theory, three types of loads, including atransient step load, isosceles triangle load and haversine wave load, are considered and the comparisons between the theoretical results, Li's results and numerical results are presented by using the control variate method and good agreement is found. Furthermore, the influences of several parameters were discussed and other conclusions about this sensor are also given. This should prove very helpful for the design and optimization of the 2-2 cement-based piezoelectric dual-layer stacked sensor in engineering.

  6. Giant piezoelectricity in potassium-sodium niobate lead-free ceramics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xiaopeng; Wu, Jiagang; Xiao, Dingquan; Zhu, Jianguo; Cheng, Xiaojing; Zheng, Ting; Zhang, Binyu; Lou, Xiaojie; Wang, Xiangjian

    2014-02-19

    Environment protection and human health concern is the driving force to eliminate the lead from commercial piezoelectric materials. In 2004, Saito et al. [ Saito et al., Nature , 2004 , 432 , 84 . ] developed an alkali niobate-based perovskite solid solution with a peak piezoelectric constant d33 of 416 pC/N when prepared in the textured polycrystalline form, intriguing the enthusiasm of developing high-performance lead-free piezoceramics. Although much attention has been paid on the alkali niobate-based system in the past ten years, no significant breakthrough in its d33 has yet been attained. Here, we report an alkali niobate-based lead-free piezoceramic with the largest d33 of ∼490 pC/N ever reported so far using conventional solid-state method. In addition, this material system also exhibits excellent integrated performance with d33∼390-490 pC/N and TC∼217-304 °C by optimizing the compositions. This giant d33 of the alkali niobate-based lead-free piezoceramics is ascribed to not only the construction of a new rhombohedral-tetragonal phase boundary but also enhanced dielectric and ferroelectric properties. Our finding may pave the way for "lead-free at last".

  7. Comparison of effective transverse piezoelectric coefficients e31,f of Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 thin films between direct and converse piezoelectric effects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsujiura, Yuichi; Kawabe, Saneyuki; Kurokawa, Fumiya; Hida, Hirotaka; Kanno, Isaku

    2015-10-01

    We evaluated the effective transverse piezoelectric coefficients (e31,f) of Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZT) thin films from both the direct and converse piezoelectric effects of unimorph cantilevers. (001) preferentially oriented polycrystalline PZT thin films and (001)/(100) epitaxial PZT thin films were deposited on (111)Pt/Ti/Si and (001)Pt/MgO substrates, respectively, by rf-magnetron sputtering, and their piezoelectric responses owing to intrinsic and extrinsic effects were examined. The direct and converse |e31,f| values of the polycrystalline PZT thin films were calculated as 6.4 and 11.5-15.0 C/m2, respectively, whereas those of the epitaxial PZT thin films were calculated as 3.4 and 4.6-4.8 C/m2, respectively. The large |e31,f| of the converse piezoelectric property of the polycrystalline PZT thin films is attributed to extrinsic piezoelectric effects. Furthermore, the polycrystalline PZT thin films show a clear nonlinear piezoelectric contribution, which is the same as the Rayleigh-like behavior reported in bulk PZT. In contrast, the epitaxial PZT thin films on the MgO substrate show a piezoelectric response owing to the intrinsic and linear extrinsic effects, and no nonlinear contribution was observed.

  8. Piezoelectric Composites by Solid Freeform Fabrication: A Nature-Inspired Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Safari, A.; Akdoğan, E. K.

    Piezoelectrics and electrostrictors are indispensable materials for use in transducer technology, as they inherently possess both direct (sensing) and converse (actuation) effects. A piezoelectric/electrostrictive sensor converts a mechanical input (displacement or force) into a measurable electrical output through piezoelectric/electrostrictive energy conversion. In the case of a piezoelectric, an applied mechanical force (stress) induces a voltage across the terminals of the transducer. On the other hand, an applied mechanical force induces a change in the capacitance of an electrostrictive transducer that could be electrically detected. Hence, the mechanical to electrical energy conversion is accomplished directly when a piezoelectric is used, while the same is obtained indirectly if the electroactive material of choice is an electrostrictor. Conversely, both piezoelectric and electrostrictive materials develop an elastic strain under an applied electric field. The said elastic strain is linearly proportional to the applied field in a piezoelectric, whereas electrostrictive coupling involves the second-order (quadratic) coupling of electric field with elastic strain. While piezoelectricity is possible only in noncentrosymetric point groups, electrostriction is observed in all solids, which make it a much more general solid-state phenomenon. Sensing and actuation functions can coexist in a given transducer by the intelligent use of such materials. Piezoelectrics and electrostrictors, therefore, constitute the backbone of modern transducer technology, as mechanical to electric energy (and vice versa) conversion can be accomplished with great efficiency in a way that is second to none among all phenomena known to date [1,2].

  9. Propellant Flow Actuated Piezoelectric Igniter for Combustion Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wollen, Mark A. (Inventor)

    2018-01-01

    A propellant flow actuated piezoelectric igniter device using one or more hammer balls retained by one or more magnets, or other retaining method, until sufficient fluid pressure is achieved in one or more charging chambers to release and accelerate the hammer ball, such that it impacts a piezoelectric crystal to produce an ignition spark. Certain preferred embodiments provide a means for repetitively capturing and releasing the hammer ball after it impacts one or more piezoelectric crystals, thereby oscillating and producing multiple, repetitive ignition sparks. Furthermore, an embodiment is presented for which oscillation of the hammer ball and repetitive impact to the piezoelectric crystal is maintained without the need for a magnet or other retaining mechanism to achieve this oscillating impact process.

  10. Study on the sandwich piezoelectric ceramic ultrasonic transducer in thickness vibration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lin Shuyu; Tian Hua

    2008-01-01

    A sandwich piezoelectric ceramic ultrasonic transducer in thickness vibration is studied. The transducer consists of front and back metal masses, and coaxially segmented, thickness polarized piezoelectric ceramic thin rings. For this kind of sandwich piezoelectric transducers in thickness vibration, it is required that the lateral dimension of the transducer is sufficiently large compared with its longitudinal dimension so that no lateral displacements in the transducer can occur (laterally clamped). In this paper, the thickness vibration of the piezoelectric ceramic stack consisting of a number of identical piezoelectric ceramic thin rings is analysed and its electro-mechanical equivalent circuit is obtained. The resonance frequency equation for the sandwich piezoelectric ceramic ultrasonic transducer in thickness vibration is derived. Based on the frequency equation, two sandwich piezoelectric ceramic ultrasonic transducers are designed and manufactured, and their resonance frequencies are measured. It is shown that the measured resonance frequencies are in good agreement with the theoretical results. This kind of sandwich piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer is expected to be used in megasonic ultrasonic cleaning and sonochemistry where high power and high frequency ultrasound is needed

  11. Insertion profiles of 4 headless compression screws.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hart, Adam; Harvey, Edward J; Lefebvre, Louis-Philippe; Barthelat, Francois; Rabiei, Reza; Martineau, Paul A

    2013-09-01

    In practice, the surgeon must rely on screw position (insertion depth) and tactile feedback from the screwdriver (insertion torque) to gauge compression. In this study, we identified the relationship between interfragmentary compression and these 2 factors. The Acutrak Standard, Acutrak Mini, Synthes 3.0, and Herbert-Whipple implants were tested using a polyurethane foam scaphoid model. A specialized testing jig simultaneously measured compression force, insertion torque, and insertion depth at half-screw-turn intervals until failure occurred. The peak compression occurs at an insertion depth of -3.1 mm, -2.8 mm, 0.9 mm, and 1.5 mm for the Acutrak Mini, Acutrak Standard, Herbert-Whipple, and Synthes screws respectively (insertion depth is positive when the screw is proud above the bone and negative when buried). The compression and insertion torque at a depth of -2 mm were found to be 113 ± 18 N and 0.348 ± 0.052 Nm for the Acutrak Standard, 104 ± 15 N and 0.175 ± 0.008 Nm for the Acutrak Mini, 78 ± 9 N and 0.245 ± 0.006 Nm for the Herbert-Whipple, and 67 ± 2N, 0.233 ± 0.010 Nm for the Synthes headless compression screws. All 4 screws generated a sizable amount of compression (> 60 N) over a wide range of insertion depths. The compression at the commonly recommended insertion depth of -2 mm was not significantly different between screws; thus, implant selection should not be based on compression profile alone. Conically shaped screws (Acutrak) generated their peak compression when they were fully buried in the foam whereas the shanked screws (Synthes and Herbert-Whipple) reached peak compression before they were fully inserted. Because insertion torque correlated poorly with compression, surgeons should avoid using tactile judgment of torque as a proxy for compression. Knowledge of the insertion profile may improve our understanding of the implants, provide a better basis for comparing screws, and enable the surgeon to optimize compression. Copyright

  12. All-solution-processed flexible thin film piezoelectric nanogenerator

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chung, Sung Yun; Kim, Sunyoung; Kim, Kyongjun [Program in Nano Science and Technology, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-744 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Ju-Hyuck; Kim, Sang-Woo [SKKU Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology, School of Advanced Materials Science and Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon 440-746 (Korea, Republic of); Kang, Chong-Yun; Yoon, Seok-Jin [Electronic Materials Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 136-791 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Youn Sang [Program in Nano Science and Technology, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-744 (Korea, Republic of); Advanced Institutes of Convergence Technology, 864-1 Iui-dong, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do 443-270 (Korea, Republic of)

    2012-11-27

    An all-solution-processed flexible thin film piezoelectric nanogenerator is demonstrated using reactive zinc hydroxo-condensation and a screen-printing method. The highly elastic thin film allows the piezoelectric energy to be generated through the mechanical rolling and muscle stretching of the piezoelectric unit. This flexible all solution-processed nanogenerator is promising for use in future energy harvesters such as wearable human patches and mobile electronics. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

  13. Cellulose Nanofibril Film as a Piezoelectric Sensor Material.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rajala, Satu; Siponkoski, Tuomo; Sarlin, Essi; Mettänen, Marja; Vuoriluoto, Maija; Pammo, Arno; Juuti, Jari; Rojas, Orlando J; Franssila, Sami; Tuukkanen, Sampo

    2016-06-22

    Self-standing films (45 μm thick) of native cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) were synthesized and characterized for their piezoelectric response. The surface and the microstructure of the films were evaluated with image-based analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The measured dielectric properties of the films at 1 kHz and 9.97 GHz indicated a relative permittivity of 3.47 and 3.38 and loss tangent tan δ of 0.011 and 0.071, respectively. The films were used as functional sensing layers in piezoelectric sensors with corresponding sensitivities of 4.7-6.4 pC/N in ambient conditions. This piezoelectric response is expected to increase remarkably upon film polarization resulting from the alignment of the cellulose crystalline regions in the film. The CNF sensor characteristics were compared with those of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) as reference piezoelectric polymer. Overall, the results suggest that CNF is a suitable precursor material for disposable piezoelectric sensors, actuators, or energy generators with potential applications in the fields of electronics, sensors, and biomedical diagnostics.

  14. PLZT-based photovoltaic Piezoelectric Transformer with light feedback

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kozielski, L [University of Silesia, Dep. Materials Sc, 2, Sniezna St. Sosnowiec, 41-200 Poland (Poland); Adamczyk, M [University of Silesia, Institute Phys., 4, Uniwersytecka St. Katowice, 40-007 Poland (Poland); Erhart, J, E-mail: lucjan.kozielski@us.edu.pl [Technical University of Liberec, Studencka St. 2, CZ-461 17 Liberec (Czech Republic)

    2011-10-29

    Piezoelectric Transformer (PT) converts an electrical AC input voltage into ultrasonic vibrations and reconverts back to an output as AC voltage. Hard lead zirconate titanate (PZT) ceramics is typically used for fabrications of such devices. In case of lanthaniun ion La{sup 3+} addition in PZT solid solution we can achieve piezoelectric ceramics with good transparency exhibiting both optical Pockels and Kerr effects. Values of these coefficients in the PLZT system are much bigger than in LiNbO{sub 3} or SBN single crystals. Among the various PLZT compositions 8/65/35, near the morphotropic boundary, exhibit large electrooptic effect and thus have found applications in light shutters and displays. In the present study we have investigated radial mode piezoelectric transformer based on optically transparent PLZT8/65/35 ceramics. The effect of the UV light generated photovoltage and photostriction on the efficiency and voltage step-up ratio of piezoelectric transformer have been demonstrated. Novel functions of this device is proposed by superimposing two sophistically coupled effects of piezoelectricity and photostriction.

  15. Piezoelectric Resonance Investigation of Zr-rich PZT at Room Temperature

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Cereceda, N.; Noheda, B.; Fernandez-del-Castillo, J.R.; Gonzalo, J.A.; Frutos, J. De

    1999-01-01

    We study the piezoelectric resonances in poled PZT ceramics by means of a microscopic model. It connects the microscopic vibrations of the ionic units, cooperatively producing the piezoelectric effect, with the macroscopic piezoelectric parameters. The behaviour at the resonance is well described in

  16. Hybrid local piezoelectric and conductive functions for high performance airborne sound absorption

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahimabady, Mojtaba; Statharas, Eleftherios Christos; Yao, Kui; Sharifzadeh Mirshekarloo, Meysam; Chen, Shuting; Tay, Francis Eng Hock

    2017-12-01

    A concept of hybrid local piezoelectric and electrical conductive functions for improving airborne sound absorption is proposed and demonstrated in composite foam made of porous polar polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) mixed with conductive single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT). According to our hybrid material function design, the local piezoelectric effect in the PVDF matrix with the polar structure and the electrical resistive loss of SWCNT enhanced sound energy conversion to electrical energy and subsequently to thermal energy, respectively, in addition to the other known sound absorption mechanisms in a porous material. It is found that the overall energy conversion and hence the sound absorption performance are maximized when the concentration of the SWCNT is around the conductivity percolation threshold. For the optimal composition of PVDF/5 wt. % SWCNT, a sound reduction coefficient of larger than 0.58 has been obtained, with a high sound absorption coefficient higher than 50% at 600 Hz, showing their great values for passive noise mitigation even at a low frequency.

  17. Eigenstates of coupling factor and loss factor of piezoelectric ceramics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smits, J.G.

    1978-01-01

    A short history of piezoelectricity is given and its occurence in nature described. The physical background of piezoelectric loss is discussed together with how material coefficients like susceptibilities can be used to describe the relation between canonical variables and to determine the dissipation of energy. The piezoelectric coupling factor, the applications of the eigencoupling state, elastic and piezoelectric digenstates are dealt with. The composition of the measurement system is described and experimental values of ceramics given. (C.F.)

  18. Tailored piezoelectric thin films for energy harvester

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wan, X.

    2013-01-01

    Piezoelectric materials are excellent materials to transfer mechanical energy into electrical energy, which can be stored and used to power other devices. PiezoMEMS is a good way to combine silicon wafer processing and piezoelectric thin film technology and lead to a variety of miniaturized and

  19. Piezoelectricity of a ferroelectric liquid crystal with a glass transition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jákli, A; Tóth-Katona, T; Scharf, T; Schadt, M; Saupe, A

    2002-07-01

    Pressure-electric (hydrostatic piezoelectric) measurements are reported on bookshelf textures of a ferroelectric smectic-C (Sm C*) liquid crystal with a glass transition. The continuous variation of a partially fluid state to the solid glass enables one to trace how the piezoelectric effect depends on the consistency of the material. It was observed that in the Sm C* samples with poled glass the piezoelectric constants are comparable to conventional piezoelectric crystals and poled piezoelectric polymers. This implies their application possibilities. The magnitude of the piezoelectric constant in the glassy state depends very much on the poling conditions. The studies indicate that there are two counteracting effects, which cancel each other out in the Sm C* phase near the glass transition. Our analysis indicates that the pressure-induced director tilt change has a dominating effect both in the fluid and the glassy Sm C* states.

  20. Air-Coupled Ultrasonic Receivers with High Electromechanical Coupling PMN-32%PT Strip-Like Piezoelectric Elements

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rymantas J. Kazys

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available For improvement of the efficiency of air-coupled ultrasonic transducers PMN-32%PT piezoelectric crystals which possess very high piezoelectric properties may be used. The electromechanical coupling factor of such crystals for all main vibration modes such as the thickness extension and transverse extension modes is more than 0.9. Operation of ultrasonic transducers with such piezoelectric elements in transmitting and receiving modes is rather different. Therefore, for transmission and reception of ultrasonic signals, separate piezoelectric elements with different dimensions must be used. The objective of this research was development of novel air-coupled ultrasonic receivers with PMN-32%PT strip-like piezoelectric elements vibrating in a transverse-extension mode with electromechanically controlled operation and suitable for applications in ultrasonic arrays. Performance of piezoelectric receivers made of the PMN-32%PT strip-like elements vibrating in this mode may be efficiently controlled by selecting geometry of the electrodes covering side surfaces of the piezoelectric element. It is equivalent to introduction of electromechanical damping which does not require any additional backing element. For this purpose; we have proposed the continuous electrodes to divide into two pairs of electrodes. The one pair is used to pick up the electric signal; another one is exploited for electromechanical damping. Two types of electrodes may be used—rectangular or non-rectangular—with a gap between them directed at some angle, usually 45°. The frequency bandwidth is wider (up to 9 kHz in the case of non-rectangular electrodes. The strip-like acoustic matching element bonded to the tip of the PMN-32%PT crystal may significantly enhance the performance of the ultrasonic receiver. It was proposed to use for this purpose AIREX T10.110 rigid polymer foam, the acoustic impedance of which is close to the optimal value necessary for matching with air. It was

  1. Design optimization under uncertainty and speed variability for a piezoelectric energy harvester powering a tire pressure monitoring sensor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toghi Eshghi, Amin; Lee, Soobum; Kazem Sadoughi, Mohammad; Hu, Chao; Kim, Young-Cheol; Seo, Jong-Ho

    2017-10-01

    Energy harvesting (EH) technologies to power small sized electronic devices are attracting great attention. Wasted energy in a vehicle’s rotating tire has a great potential to enable self-powered tire pressure monitoring sensors (TPMS). Piezoelectric type energy harvesters can be used to collect vibrational energy and power such systems. Due to the presence of harsh acceleration in a rotating tire, a design tradeoff needs to be studied to prolong the harvester’s fatigue life as well as to ensure sufficient power generation. However, the design by traditional deterministic design optimization (DDO) does not show reliable performance due to the lack of consideration of various uncertainty factors (e.g., manufacturing tolerances, material properties, and loading conditions). In this study, we address a new EH design formulation that considers the uncertainty in car speed, dimensional tolerances and material properties, and solve this design problem using reliability-based design optimization (RBDO). The RBDO problem is formulated to maximize compactness and minimize weight of a TPMS harvester while satisfying power and durability requirements. A transient analysis has been done to measure the time varying response of EH such as power generation, dynamic strain, and stress. A conservative design formulation is proposed to consider the expected power from varied speed and stress at higher speed. When compared to the DDO, the RBDO results show that the reliability of EH is increased significantly by scarifying the objective function. Finally, experimental test has been conducted to demonstrate the merits of RBDO design over DDO.

  2. Enhanced active piezoelectric 0-3 nanocomposites fabricated through electrospun nanowires

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Feenstra, Joel; Sodano, Henry A.

    2008-01-01

    The use of monolithic piezoceramic materials in sensing and actuation applications has become quite common over the past decade. However, these materials have several properties that limit their application in practical systems. These materials are very brittle due to the ceramic nature of the monolithic material, making them vulnerable to accidental breakage during handling and bonding procedures. In addition, they have very poor ability to conform to curved surfaces and result in large add-on mass associated with using a typically lead-based ceramic. These limitations have motivated the development of alternative methods of applying the piezoceramic material, including piezoceramic fiber composites and piezoelectric 0-3 composites (also known as piezoelectric paint). Piezoelectric paint is desirable because it can be spayed or painted on and can be used with abnormal surfaces. However, the piezoelectric paint developed in prior studies has resulted in low coupling, limiting its application. In order to increase the coupling of the piezoelectric paint, this effort has investigated the use of piezoelectric nanowires rather than spherical piezoelectric particle, which are difficult to strain when embedded in a polymer matrix. The piezoceramic wires were electrospun from a barium titanate (BaTiO 3 ) sol gel to produce fibers with 500-1000 nm diameters and subsequently calcinated to acquire perovskite BaTiO 3 . An active nanocomposite paint was formed using the resulting piezoelectric wires and was compared to the same paint with piezoelectric nanoparticles. The results show that the piezoceramic wires produce 0-3 nanocomposites with as high as 300% increase in electromechanical coupling

  3. V-to-I Movement and "do"-Insertion in Optimality Theory

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vikner, Sten

    2001-01-01

    The empirical phenomena to be dicussed in this paper are the position of the finite verb in embedded clauses (preceding or following a sentential adverbial, i.e. in I° or in V°) and the possibility or impossibility of do-insertion. For reasons of space, it will only be sketched at the very end how...

  4. Environmental profile evaluations of piezoelectric polymers using life cycle assessment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parvez Mahmud, M. A.; Huda, Nazmul; Hisan Farjana, Shahjadi; Lang, Candace

    2018-05-01

    Piezoelectric materials are indispensable to produce electricity, harvesting ambient mechanical energy through motion for sectors and products, from sensors, to biomedical systems, to tiny electronics. Nylon 66 and tetrafluoroethylene dominate the market among thousands of piezoelectric materials to provide an autonomous power supply. Emphasis has been given on investigating the environmental impacts of both materials due to the growing consciousness of the ecological and health risks of piezoelectric polymers. The fabrication steps of these polymers from raw materials are extremely hazardous to the environment in terms of toxicity and human health effects. However, no quantification of the possible environmental impacts for the manufacturing of nylon 66 and tetrafluoroethylene exists. This research paper addresses their comparative environmental effects, in terms of chemical constituents. Life cycle impact analysis has been carried out by ReCipe 2016 Endpoint, Ecopoints 97, Raw material flows and CML-IA baseline methods, using Australasian life cycle inventory database and SimaPro software. The impacts are considered in categories like global warming, eutrophication, terrestrial ecotoxicity, human carcinogenic toxicity, fine particulates, and marine ecotoxicity. The results show that there is a significant environmental impact caused by tetrafluoroethylene in comparison with nylon 66 polymer during the manufacturing process. These impacts occur due to the quantity of toxic chemical elements present as constituents of tetrafluoroethylene raw material and its fabrication periods. It can be anticipated that a better ecological performance can be attained through optimization, especially by cautiously picking substitute materials and machines, taking into account the toxicity aspects, and by minimizing the impacts related to designs, fabrication processes and usage.

  5. Fabrication and in vitro biological properties of piezoelectric bioceramics for bone regeneration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Yufei; Wu, Cong; Wu, Zixiang; Hu, Long; Zhang, Wei; Zhao, Kang

    2017-02-01

    The piezoelectric effect of biological piezoelectric materials promotes bone growth. However, the material should be subjected to stress before it can produce an electric charge that promotes bone repair and reconstruction conducive to fracture healing. A novel method for in vitro experimentation of biological piezoelectric materials with physiological load is presented. A dynamic loading device that can simulate the force of human motion and provide periodic load to piezoelectric materials when co-cultured with cells was designed to obtain a realistic expression of piezoelectric effect on bone repair. Hydroxyapatite (HA)/barium titanate (BaTiO3) composite materials were fabricated by slip casting, and their piezoelectric properties were obtained by polarization. The d33 of HA/BaTiO3 piezoelectric ceramics after polarization was 1.3 pC/N to 6.8 pC/N with BaTiO3 content ranging from 80% to 100%. The in vitro biological properties of piezoelectric bioceramics with and without cycle loading were investigated. When HA/BaTiO3 piezoelectric bioceramics were affected by cycle loading, the piezoelectric effect of BaTiO3 promoted the growth of osteoblasts and interaction with HA, which was better than the effect of HA alone. The best biocompatibility and bone-inducing activity were demonstrated by the 10%HA/90%BaTiO3 piezoelectric ceramics.

  6. A Novel Piezoelectric Energy Harvester Using the Macro Fiber Composite Cantilever with a Bicylinder in Water

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rujun Song

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available A novel piezoelectric energy harvester equipped with two piezoelectric beams and two cylinders was proposed in this work. The energy harvester can convert the kinetic energy of water into electrical energy by means of vortex-induced vibration (VIV and wake-induced vibration (WIV. The effects of load resistance, water velocity and cylinder diameter on the performance of the harvester were investigated. It was found that the vibration of the upstream cylinder was VIV which enhanced the energy harvesting capacity of the upstream piezoelectric beam. As for the downstream cylinder, both VIV and the WIV could be obtained. The VIV was found with small L/D, e.g., 2.125, 2.28, 2.5, and 2.8. Additionally, the WIV was stimulated with the increase of L/D (such as 3.25, 4, and 5.5. Due to the WIV, the downstream beam presented better performance in energy harvesting with the increase of water velocity. Furthermore, it revealed that more electrical energy could be obtained by appropriately matching the resistance and the diameter of the cylinder. With optimal resistance (170 kΩ and diameter of the cylinder (30 mm, the maximum output power of 21.86 μW (sum of both piezoelectric beams was obtained at a water velocity of 0.31 m/s.

  7. Theoretical modeling, simulation and experimental study of hybrid piezoelectric and electromagnetic energy harvester

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ping Li

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, performances of vibration energy harvester combined piezoelectric (PE and electromagnetic (EM mechanism are studied by theoretical analysis, simulation and experimental test. For the designed harvester, electromechanical coupling modeling is established, and expressions of vibration response, output voltage, current and power are derived. Then, performances of the harvester are simulated and tested; moreover, the power charging rechargeable battery is realized through designed energy storage circuit. By the results, it’s found that compared with piezoelectric-only and electromagnetic-only energy harvester, the hybrid energy harvester can enhance the output power and harvesting efficiency; furthermore, at the harmonic excitation, output power of harvester linearly increases with acceleration amplitude increasing; while it enhances with acceleration spectral density increasing at the random excitation. In addition, the bigger coupling strength, the bigger output power is, and there is the optimal load resistance to make the harvester output the maximal power.

  8. Experiments to Demonstrate Piezoelectric and Pyroelectric Effects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erhart, Jirí

    2013-01-01

    Piezoelectric and pyroelectric materials are used in many current applications. The purpose of this paper is to explain the basic properties of pyroelectric and piezoelectric effects and demonstrate them in simple experiments. Pyroelectricity is presented on lead zirconium titanate (PZT) ceramics as an electric charge generated by the temperature…

  9. Advances in Piezoelectric Systems: An Application-Based Approach

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zsurzsan, Tiberiu-Gabriel

    with their low manufacturing costs and high robustness has enabled wide-spread usage in applications ranging from simple spark lighters or pressure sensors to much more complicated energy harvesting systems and piezoelectric transformers. One governing property of piezoelectric devices is the existence....... These three distinct behaviors encountered in any piezoelectric device represents the ba- sis of discussion in the thesis. Therefore the present PhD dissertation is an application-based approach to researching all three behaviors individually, while nding solutions to the challenges encountered along the way...... bidirectional operation of a self-oscillating converter. Feasibility of using the converter in an MRI scanner is demonstrated. The third and nal behavior researched is the resistive behavior. This is widely encountered since most piezoelectric motors, ultrasonic baths and some energy harvesting systems operate...

  10. Recent Progress on PZT Based Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting Technologies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Min-Gyu Kang

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Energy harvesting is the most effective way to respond to the energy shortage and to produce sustainable power sources from the surrounding environment. The energy harvesting technology enables scavenging electrical energy from wasted energy sources, which always exist everywhere, such as in heat, fluids, vibrations, etc. In particular, piezoelectric energy harvesting, which uses a direct energy conversion from vibrations and mechanical deformation to the electrical energy, is a promising technique to supply power sources in unattended electronic devices, wireless sensor nodes, micro-electronic devices, etc., since it has higher energy conversion efficiency and a simple structure. Up to now, various technologies, such as advanced materials, micro- and macro-mechanics, and electric circuit design, have been investigated and emerged to improve performance and conversion efficiency of the piezoelectric energy harvesters. In this paper, we focus on recent progress of piezoelectric energy harvesting technologies based on PbZrxTi1-xO3 (PZT materials, which have the most outstanding piezoelectric properties. The advanced piezoelectric energy harvesting technologies included materials, fabrications, unique designs, and properties are introduced to understand current technical levels and suggest the future directions of piezoelectric energy harvesting.

  11. Piezoelectric Nanotube Array for Broadband High-Frequency Ultrasonic Transducer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liew, Weng Heng; Yao, Kui; Chen, Shuting; Tay, Francis Eng Hock

    2018-03-01

    Piezoelectric materials are vital in determining ultrasonic transducer and imaging performance as they offer the function for conversion between mechanical and electrical energy. Ultrasonic transducers with high-frequency operation suffer from performance degradation and fabrication difficulty of the demanded piezoelectric materials. Hence, we propose 1-D polymeric piezoelectric nanostructure with controlled nanoscale features to overcome the technical limitations of high-frequency ultrasonic transducers. For the first time, we demonstrate the integration of a well-aligned piezoelectric nanotube array to produce a high-frequency ultrasonic transducer with outstanding performance. We find that nanoconfinement-induced polarization orientation and unique nanotube structure lead to significantly improved piezoelectric and ultrasonic transducing performance over the conventional piezoelectric thin film. A large bandwidth, 126% (-6 dB), is achieved at high center frequency, 108 MHz. Transmission sensitivity of nanotube array is found to be 46% higher than that of the monolithic thin film transducer attributed to the improved electromechanical coupling effectiveness and impedance match. We further demonstrate high-resolution scanning, ultrasonic imaging, and photoacoustic imaging using the obtained nanotube array transducers, which is valuable for biomedical imaging applications in the future.

  12. Ultrasonic power transfer from a spherical acoustic wave source to a free-free piezoelectric receiver: Modeling and experiment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shahab, S.; Gray, M.; Erturk, A., E-mail: alper.erturk@me.gatech.edu [G. W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332 (United States)

    2015-03-14

    Contactless powering of small electronic components has lately received growing attention for wireless applications in which battery replacement or tethered charging is undesired or simply impossible, and ambient energy harvesting is not a viable solution. As an alternative to well-studied methods of contactless energy transfer, such as the inductive coupling method, the use of ultrasonic waves transmitted and received by piezoelectric devices enables larger power transmission distances, which is critical especially for deep-implanted electronic devices. Moreover, energy transfer by means of acoustic waves is well suited in situations where no electromagnetic fields are allowed. The limited literature of ultrasonic acoustic energy transfer is mainly centered on proof-of-concept experiments demonstrating the feasibility of this method, lacking experimentally validated modeling efforts for the resulting multiphysics problem that couples the source and receiver dynamics with domain acoustics. In this work, we present fully coupled analytical, numerical, and experimental multiphysics investigations for ultrasonic acoustic energy transfer from a spherical wave source to a piezoelectric receiver bar that operates in the 33-mode of piezoelectricity. The fluid-loaded piezoelectric receiver under free-free mechanical boundary conditions is shunted to an electrical load for quantifying the electrical power output for a given acoustic source strength of the transmitter. The analytical acoustic-piezoelectric structure interaction modeling framework is validated experimentally, and the effects of system parameters are reported along with optimal electrical loading and frequency conditions of the receiver.

  13. Ultrasonic power transfer from a spherical acoustic wave source to a free-free piezoelectric receiver: Modeling and experiment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shahab, S.; Gray, M.; Erturk, A.

    2015-01-01

    Contactless powering of small electronic components has lately received growing attention for wireless applications in which battery replacement or tethered charging is undesired or simply impossible, and ambient energy harvesting is not a viable solution. As an alternative to well-studied methods of contactless energy transfer, such as the inductive coupling method, the use of ultrasonic waves transmitted and received by piezoelectric devices enables larger power transmission distances, which is critical especially for deep-implanted electronic devices. Moreover, energy transfer by means of acoustic waves is well suited in situations where no electromagnetic fields are allowed. The limited literature of ultrasonic acoustic energy transfer is mainly centered on proof-of-concept experiments demonstrating the feasibility of this method, lacking experimentally validated modeling efforts for the resulting multiphysics problem that couples the source and receiver dynamics with domain acoustics. In this work, we present fully coupled analytical, numerical, and experimental multiphysics investigations for ultrasonic acoustic energy transfer from a spherical wave source to a piezoelectric receiver bar that operates in the 33-mode of piezoelectricity. The fluid-loaded piezoelectric receiver under free-free mechanical boundary conditions is shunted to an electrical load for quantifying the electrical power output for a given acoustic source strength of the transmitter. The analytical acoustic-piezoelectric structure interaction modeling framework is validated experimentally, and the effects of system parameters are reported along with optimal electrical loading and frequency conditions of the receiver

  14. A review of piezoelectric polymers as functional materials for electromechanical transducers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ramadan, Khaled S; Evoy, S; Sameoto, D

    2014-01-01

    Polymer based MEMS and microfluidic devices have the advantages of mechanical flexibility, lower fabrication cost and faster processing over silicon based ones. Also, many polymer materials are considered biocompatible and can be used in biological applications. A valuable class of polymers for microfabricated devices is piezoelectric functional polymers. In addition to the normal advantages of polymers, piezoelectric polymers can be directly used as an active material in different transduction applications. This paper gives an overview of piezoelectric polymers based on their operating principle. This includes three main categories: bulk piezoelectric polymers, piezocomposites and voided charged polymers. State-of-the-art piezopolymers of each category are presented with a focus on fabrication techniques and material properties. A comparison between the different piezoelectric polymers and common inorganic piezoelectric materials (PZT, ZnO, AlN and PMN–PT) is also provided in terms of piezoelectric properties. The use of piezopolymers in different electromechanical devices is also presented. This includes tactile sensors, energy harvesters, acoustic transducers and inertial sensors. (topical review)

  15. Hysteresis compensation for piezoelectric actuators in single-point diamond turning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Haifeng; Hu, Dejin; Wan, Daping; Liu, Hongbin

    2006-02-01

    In recent years, interests have been growing for fast tool servo (FTS) systems to increase the capability of existing single-point diamond turning machines. Although piezoelectric actuator is the most universal base of FTS system due to its high stiffness, accuracy and bandwidth, nonlinearity in piezoceramics limits both the static and dynamic performance of piezoelectric-actuated control systems evidently. To compensate the nonlinear hysteresis behavior of piezoelectric actuators, a hybrid model coupled with Preisach model and feedforward neural network (FNN) has been described. Since the training of FNN does not require a special calibration sequence, it is possible for on-line identification and real-time implementation with general operating data of a specific piezoelectric actuator. To describe the rate dependent behavior of piezoelectric actuators, a hybrid dynamic model was developed to predict the response of piezoelectric actuators in a wider range of input frequency. Experimental results show that a maximal error of less than 3% was accomplished by this dynamic model.

  16. Piezoelectric peptide-based nanogenerator enhanced by single-electrode triboelectric nanogenerator

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vu Nguyen

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Peptide has recently been demonstrated as a sustainable and smart material for piezoelectric energy conversion. Although the power output was improved compared to other biomaterials, the use of a piezoelectric device alone can only capture the energy from the minute deformation in materials. In comparison, the triboelectric effect can convert mechanical energy from large motion. Consequently, utilizing both piezoelectric and triboelectric effects is of significant research interest due to their complementary energy conversion mechanisms. Here we demonstrated a hybrid nanogenerator that combined a peptide-based piezoelectric nanogenerator with a single-electrode triboelectric nanogenerator. Our device structure enabled the voltage and current outputs of each individual type of nanogenerator to be superposed in the hybrid nanogenerator, producing overall constructive outputs. The design of our device also enabled a simplified configuration of hybrid nanogenerator. This study is important not only for the enhancement of peptide-based piezoelectric device but also for the future design of hybrid piezoelectric and triboelectric nanogenerators.

  17. Theoretical and Experimental Study on Secondary Piezoelectric Effect Based on PZT-5

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Z H; Sun, B Y; Shi, L P

    2006-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to confirm the existence of secondary and multiple piezoelectric effect theoretically and experimentally. Based on Heckmann model showing the relationship among mechanical, electric and heat energy and the physical model on mechanical, electric, heat, and magnetic energy, theoretical analysis of multiple piezoelectric effect is made through four kinds of piezoelectric equations. Experimental research of secondary direct piezoelectric effect is conducted through adopting PZT-5 piles. The result of the experiment indicates that charge generated by secondary direct piezoelectric effect as well as displacement caused by first converse piezoelectric effect keeps fine linearity with the applied voltage

  18. Polarization and Piezoelectric Properties of a Nitrile Substituted Polyimide

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simpson, Joycelyn; Ounaies, Zoubeida; Fay, Catharine

    1997-01-01

    This research focuses on the synthesis and characterization of a piezoelectric (beta-CN)- APB/ODPA polyimide. The remanent polarization and piezoelectric d(sub 31) and g(sub 33) coefficients are reported to assess the effect of synthesis variations. Each of the materials exhibits a level of piezoelectricity which increases with temperature. The remanent polarization is retained at temperatures close to the glass transition temperature of the polyimide.

  19. Acoustics of the piezo-electric pressure probe

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dutt, G. S.

    1974-01-01

    Acoustical properties of a piezoelectric device are reported for measuring the pressure in the plasma flow from an MPD arc. A description and analysis of the acoustical behavior in a piezoelectric probe is presented for impedance matching and damping. The experimental results are presented in a set of oscillographic records.

  20. Vibration Suppression of Electronic Box by a Dual Function Piezoelectric Energy Harvester-Tuned Vibration Absorber

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sajid Rafique

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Over the past few years, remarkable developments in piezoelectric materials have motivated many researchers to work in the field of vibration energy harvesting by using piezoelectric beam like smart structures. This paper aimed to present the most recent application of a dual function piezoelectric device which can suppress vibration and harvest vibration energy simultaneously and a brief illustration of conventional mechanical and electrical TVAs (Tuned Vibration Absorber. It is shown that the proposed dual function device combines the benefits of conventional mechanical and electrical TVAs and reduces their relative disadvantages. Conversion of mechanical energy into electrical energy introduces damping and, hence, the optimal damping required by this TVA is generated by the energy harvesting effects. This paper presents the methodology of implementing the theory of 'electromechanical' TVAs to suppress the response of any real world structure. The work also illustrates the prospect of extensive applications of such novel "electromechanical" TVAs in defence and industry. The results show that the optimum degree of vibration suppression of an electronic box is achieved by this dual function TVA through suitable tuning of the attached electrical circuitry

  1. Vibration suppression of electronic box by a dual function piezoelectric energy harvester-tuned vibration absorber

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rafique, S.; Shah, S.

    2014-01-01

    Over the past few years, remarkable developments in piezoelectric materials have motivated many researchers to work in the field of vibration energy harvesting by using piezoelectric beam like smart structures. This paper aimed to present the most recent application of a dual function piezoelectric device which can suppress vibration and harvest vibration energy simultaneously and a brief illustration of conventional mechanical and electrical TVAs (Tuned Vibration Absorber). It is shown that the proposed dual function device combines the benefits of conventional mechanical and electrical TVAs and reduces their relative disadvantages. Conversion of mechanical energy into electrical energy introduces damping and, hence, the optimal damping required by this TVA is generated by the energy harvesting effects. This paper presents the methodology of implementing the theory of electromechanical TVAs to suppress the response of any real world structure. The work also illustrates the prospect of extensive applications of such novel electromechanical TVAs in defence and industry. The results show that the optimum degree of vibration suppression of an electronic box is achieved by this dual function TVA through suitable tuning of the attached electrical circuitry. (author)

  2. Energy harvesting from high-rise buildings by a piezoelectric harvester device

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xie, X.D.; Wang, Q.; Wang, S.J.

    2015-01-01

    A novel piezoelectric technology of harvesting energy from high-rise buildings is developed. While being used to harness vibration energy of a building, the technology is also helpful to dissipate vibration of the building by the designed piezoelectric harvester as a tuned mass damper. The piezoelectric harvester device is made of two groups of series piezoelectric generators connected by a shared shaft. The shaft is driven by a linking rod hinged on a proof mass on the tip of a cantilever fixed on the roof of the building. The influences of some practical considerations, such as the mass ratio of the proof mass to the main structure, the ratios of the length and flexural rigidity of the cantilever to those of the main structure, on the root mean square (RMS) of the generated electric power and the energy harvesting efficiency of the piezoelectric harvester device are discussed. The research provides a new method for an efficient and practical energy harvesting from high-rise buildings by piezoelectric harvesters. - Highlights: • A new piezoelectric technology in energy harvesting from high-rise buildings is introduced. • A new mathematics model to calculate the energy harvested by the piezoelectric device is developed. • A novel efficient design of the piezoelectric harvester device in provided. • An electric power up to 432 MW under a seismic excitation at a frequency of 30 rad/s is achieved.

  3. Use of piezoelectric foil for flow diagnostics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carraway, Debra L.; Bertelrud, Arild

    1989-01-01

    A laboratory investigation was conducted to characterize two piezoelectric-film sensor configurations, a rigidly mounted sensor and a sensor mounted over an air cavity. The sensors are evaluated for sensitivity and frequency response, and methods to optimize data are presented. The cavity-mounted sensor exhibited a superior frequency response and was more sensitive to normal pressure fluctuations and less sensitive to vibrations through the structure. Both configurations were sensitive to large-scale structural vibrations. Flight-test data are shown for cavity-mounted sensors, illustrating practical aspects to consider when designing sensors for application in such harsh environments. The relation of the data to skin friction and maximum shear stress, transition detection, and turbulent viscous layers is derived through analysis of the flight data.

  4. System and Method for Monitoring Piezoelectric Material Performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moses, Robert W. (Inventor); Fox, Christopher L. (Inventor); Fox, Melanie L. (Inventor); Chattin, Richard L. (Inventor); Shams, Qamar A. (Inventor); Fox, Robert L. (Inventor)

    2007-01-01

    A system and method are provided for monitoring performance capacity of a piezoelectric material that may form part of an actuator or sensor device. A switch is used to selectively electrically couple an inductor to the piezoelectric material to form an inductor-capacitor circuit. Resonance is induced in the inductor-capacitor circuit when the switch is operated to create the circuit. The resonance of the inductor-capacitor circuit is monitored with the frequency of the resonance being indicative of performance capacity of the device's piezoelectric material.

  5. Electromechanical-Traffic Model of Compression-Based Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kok B.C.

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Piezoelectric energy harvesting has advantages over other alternative sources due to its large power density, ease of applications, and capability to be fabricated at different scales: macro, micro, and nano. This paper presents an electromechanical-traffic model for roadway compression-based piezoelectric energy harvesting system. A two-degree-of-freedom (2-DOF electromechanical model has been developed for the piezoelectric energy harvesting unit to define its performance in power generation under a number of external excitations on road surface. Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT-5H is selected as the piezoelectric material to be used in this paper due to its high Piezoelectric Charge Constant (d and Piezoelectric Voltage Constant (g values. The main source of vibration energy that has been considered in this paper is the moving vehicle on the road. The effect of various frequencies on possible generated power caused by different vibration characteristics of moving vehicle has been studied. A single unit of circle-shape Piezoelectric Cymbal Transducer (PCT with diameter of 32 mm and thickness of 0.3 mm be able to generate about 0.12 mW and 13 mW of electric power under 4 Hz and 20 Hz of excitation, respectively. The estimated power to be generated for multiple arrays of PCT is approximately 150 kW/ km. Thus, the developed electromechanical-traffic model has enormous potential to be used in estimating the macro scale of roadway power generation system.

  6. BIOMINERALOGICAL INVESTIGATION OF APATITE PIEZOELECTRICITY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Pawlikowski

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Investigation of apatite piezoelectricity was conducted in order to assess piezoelectric properties of bone. In the first stage, mineralogical analysis of different apatite crystals, regarding their purity and fitness for the experiments was performed. After the crystals had been chosen, 0.8 mm-thick plates were cut, perpendicular and parallel to the crystallographic Z axis. The plates were then polished and dusted with gold. Electrodes were attached to the opposite surfaces of the plates with conductive glue. So prepared plates were hooked up to the EEG machine used for measuring electrical activity in the brain. The plates were then gently tapped to observe and register currents generated in them. Acquired data was processed by subtracting from the resulting graphs those generated by a hand movement, without tapping the plate. Results indicate that apatite plates have weak piezoelectric properties. Observed phenomenon may be translated to bone apatite, which would explain, at least partially, piezoelectric properties of bone. Acquired results suggest that there is a relation between the mechanical workload of bones (bone apatite and theirelectrical properties. Considering the massive internal surface of bones, they may be treated as a kind of internal “antenna” reacting not only to mechanical stimuli, but to changes in electromagnetic field as well. Observed phenomena no doubt significantly influence the biological processes occurring in bones and the whole human body.

  7. Finite element analysis of hybrid energy harvesting of piezoelectric and electromagnetic

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muhammad Yazid Muhammad Ammar Faris

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Harvesting energy from ambient vibrations is a highly required method because of the wide range of available sources that produce vibration energy application from industrial machinery to human motion application. In this paper, the implementation of harvesting energy from two technologies to form a hybrid energy harvester system was analyzed. These two technologies involve the piezoelectric harvesting energy and the electromagnetic harvesting energy. A finite element model was developed using the Ansys software with the harmonic analysis solver to analyze and examine hybrid harvesting energy system. Both power output generated from the magnet and the piezoelectric is then combined to form one unit of energy. Further, it was found that the result shows the system generate the maximum power output of 14.85 μW from 100 Hz, 4.905 m/s2, and 0.6 cm3 for resonance frequency, acceleration, and the volume respectively from the optimal energy harvester design. Normalized Power Density (NPD result of 10.29 kgs/m3 comparable with other literature also can be used in energy harvesting system for vibration application.

  8. 3D micro-structures by piezoelectric inkjet printing of gold nanofluids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kullmann, Carmen; Lee, Ming-Tsang; Grigoropoulos, Costas P; Schirmer, Niklas C; Poulikakos, Dimos; Ko, Seung Hwan; Hotz, Nico

    2012-01-01

    3D solid and pocketed micro-wires and micro-walls are needed for emerging applications that require fine-scale functional structures in three dimensions, including micro-heaters, micro-reactors and solar cells. To fulfill this demand, 3D micro-structures with high aspect ratios (>50:1) are developed on a low-cost basis that is applicable for mass production with high throughput, also enabling the printing of structures that cannot be manufactured by conventional techniques. Additively patterned 3D gold micro-walls and -wires are grown by piezoelectric inkjet printing of nanofluids, selectively combined with in situ simultaneous laser annealing that can be applied to large-scale bulk production. It is demonstrated how the results of 3D printing depend on the piezoelectric voltage pulse, the substrate heating temperature and the structure height, resulting in the identification of thermal regions of optimal printing for best printing results. Furthermore a parametric analysis of the applied substrate temperature during printing leads to proposed temperature ranges for solid and pocketed micro-wire and micro-wall growth for selected frequency and voltages. (paper)

  9. 3D micro-structures by piezoelectric inkjet printing of gold nanofluids

    KAUST Repository

    Kullmann, Carmen

    2012-04-18

    3D solid and pocketed micro-wires and micro-walls are needed for emerging applications that require fine-scale functional structures in three dimensions, including micro-heaters, micro-reactors and solar cells. To fulfill this demand, 3D micro-structures with high aspect ratios (>50:1) are developed on a low-cost basis that is applicable for mass production with high throughput, also enabling the printing of structures that cannot be manufactured by conventional techniques. Additively patterned 3D gold micro-walls and -wires are grown by piezoelectric inkjet printing of nanofluids, selectively combined with in situ simultaneous laser annealing that can be applied to large-scale bulk production. It is demonstrated how the results of 3D printing depend on the piezoelectric voltage pulse, the substrate heating temperature and the structure height, resulting in the identification of thermal regions of optimal printing for best printing results. Furthermore a parametric analysis of the applied substrate temperature during printing leads to proposed temperature ranges for solid and pocketed micro-wire and micro-wall growth for selected frequency and voltages. © 2012 IOP Publishing Ltd.

  10. Electromechanical Modeling of Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters

    OpenAIRE

    Erturk, Alper

    2009-01-01

    Vibration-based energy harvesting has been investigated by several researchers over the last decade. The ultimate goal in this research field is to power small electronic components (such as wireless sensors) by using the vibration energy available in their environment. Among the basic transduction mechanisms that can be used for vibration-to-electricity conversion, piezoelectric transduction has received the most attention in the literature. Piezoelectric materials are preferred in energy ha...

  11. Characterization and calibration of piezoelectric polymers: In situ measurements of body vibrations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kappel, Marcel; Abel, Markus; Gerhard, Reimund

    2011-07-01

    Piezoelectric polymers are known for their flexibility in applications, mainly due to their bending ability, robustness, and variable sensor geometry. It is an optimal material for minimal-invasive investigations in vibrational systems, e.g., for wood, where acoustical impedance matches particularly well. Many applications may be imagined, e.g., monitoring of buildings, vehicles, machinery, alarm systems, such that our investigations may have a large impact on technology. Longitudinal piezoelectricity converts mechanical vibrations normal to the polymer-film plane into an electrical signal, and the respective piezoelectric coefficient needs to be carefully determined in dependence on the relevant material parameters. In order to evaluate efficiency and durability for piezopolymers, we use polyvinylidene fluoride and measure the piezoelectric coefficient with respect to static pressure, amplitude of the dynamically applied force, and long-term stability. A known problem is the slow relaxation of the material towards equilibrium, if the external pressure changes; here, we demonstrate how to counter this problem with careful calibration. Since our focus is on acoustical measurements, we determine accurately the frequency response curve - for acoustics probably the most important characteristic. Eventually, we show that our piezopolymer transducers can be used as a calibrated acoustical sensors for body vibration measurements on a wooden musical instrument, where it is important to perform minimal-invasive measurements. A comparison with the simultaneously recorded airborne sound yields important insight of the mechanism of sound radiation in comparison with the sound propagating in the material. This is especially important for transient signals, where not only the long-living eigenmodes contribute to the sound radiation. Our analyses support that piezopolymer sensors can be employed as a general tool for the determination of the internal dynamics of vibrating systems.

  12. Impedance adaptation methods of the piezoelectric energy harvesting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Hyeoungwoo

    output power transferred to the small output load. Using this optimized DC-DC converter, two circuits used to light LEDs and charge battery were demonstrated. It was found that the power transferred to the loads was not the maximum power generated by a cymbal transducer because the loads were not matched to the energy source with the DC-DC converter even though the output power was significantly improved by DC-DC converter. An AC-DC converter with a piezoelectric transformer which has 98% efficiency was also studied to maximize the energy transfer to the load of 10˜100O. The output impedance was controlled by a piezoelectric transformer and the driving frequency of the transformer at resonance was adjusted by the AC-DC converter. A DC-DC converter was also used to stabilize the input power of the piezoelectric transformer. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

  13. LC Circuits for Diagnosing Embedded Piezoelectric Devices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chattin, Richard L.; Fox, Robert Lee; Moses, Robert W.; Shams, Qamar A.

    2005-01-01

    A recently invented method of nonintrusively detecting faults in piezoelectric devices involves measurement of the resonance frequencies of inductor capacitor (LC) resonant circuits. The method is intended especially to enable diagnosis of piezoelectric sensors, actuators, and sensor/actuators that are embedded in structures and/or are components of multilayer composite material structures.

  14. Fabrication and calibration of a piezoelectric nanocomposite paint

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osho, Samuel; Wu, Nan; Aramfard, Mohammad; Deng, Chuang; Ojo, Olanrewaju

    2018-03-01

    A new liquid form piezoelectric nanocomposite paint material is fabricated with possible applications as dynamic strain sensors and/or piezoelectric transducers. The applied coating is in the form of low-cost paint, which is flexible and bonds strongly on a metallic surface after drying out via the solvent-casting method. The nanocomposite is produced by an ultrasonic mixture of varying percentages of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticle water dispersion, poly vinyl acetate glue (PVA) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). ZnO nanoparticles are used as the piezoelectric sensing elements in a PVA matrix of the paint, while CNTs are introduced as robust bridge of ZnO particles enhancing the piezoelectricity and material properties. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images confirmed the linkages of ZnO nanoparticles in the composite by CNTs. Through piezoelectricity calibration, the optimum mixing ratio with the highest piezoelectricity is 78.1 wt% ZnO, 19.5 wt% PVA glue and 2.4 wt% multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). Through nanoindentation tests for the characterization of the mechanical properties of the nano-composite paint, it is found that Young’s modulus and hardness reached a threshold point in the increment in the addition of CNTs to the paint before showing signs of decline. Detailed analysis and explanation of the calibration results and physical phenomenon are provided. The stable paint material is ready to be applied on rough area of engineering structures as sensor and transducer.

  15. Electronics for Piezoelectric Smart Structures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warkentin, D. J.; Tani, J.

    1997-01-01

    This paper briefly presents work addressing some of the basic considerations for the electronic components used in smart structures incorporating piezoelectric elements. After general remarks on the application of piezoelectric elements to the problem of structural vibration control, three main topics are described. Work to date on the development of techniques for embedding electronic components within structural parts is presented, followed by a description of the power flow and dissipation requirements of those components. Finally current work on the development of electronic circuits for use in an 'active wall' for acoustic noise is introduced.

  16. Control of piezoelectricity in amino acids by supramolecular packing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guerin, Sarah; Stapleton, Aimee; Chovan, Drahomir; Mouras, Rabah; Gleeson, Matthew; McKeown, Cian; Noor, Mohamed Radzi; Silien, Christophe; Rhen, Fernando M. F.; Kholkin, Andrei L.; Liu, Ning; Soulimane, Tewfik; Tofail, Syed A. M.; Thompson, Damien

    2018-02-01

    Piezoelectricity, the linear relationship between stress and induced electrical charge, has attracted recent interest due to its manifestation in biological molecules such as synthetic polypeptides or amino acid crystals, including gamma (γ) glycine. It has also been demonstrated in bone, collagen, elastin and the synthetic bone mineral hydroxyapatite. Piezoelectric coefficients exhibited by these biological materials are generally low, typically in the range of 0.1-10 pm V-1, limiting technological applications. Guided by quantum mechanical calculations we have measured a high shear piezoelectricity (178 pm V-1) in the amino acid crystal beta (β) glycine, which is of similar magnitude to barium titanate or lead zirconate titanate. Our calculations show that the high piezoelectric coefficients originate from an efficient packing of the molecules along certain crystallographic planes and directions. The highest predicted piezoelectric voltage constant for β-glycine crystals is 8 V mN-1, which is an order of magnitude larger than the voltage generated by any currently used ceramic or polymer.

  17. Control of piezoelectricity in amino acids by supramolecular packing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guerin, Sarah; Stapleton, Aimee; Chovan, Drahomir; Mouras, Rabah; Gleeson, Matthew; McKeown, Cian; Noor, Mohamed Radzi; Silien, Christophe; Rhen, Fernando M F; Kholkin, Andrei L; Liu, Ning; Soulimane, Tewfik; Tofail, Syed A M; Thompson, Damien

    2018-02-01

    Piezoelectricity, the linear relationship between stress and induced electrical charge, has attracted recent interest due to its manifestation in biological molecules such as synthetic polypeptides or amino acid crystals, including gamma (γ) glycine. It has also been demonstrated in bone, collagen, elastin and the synthetic bone mineral hydroxyapatite. Piezoelectric coefficients exhibited by these biological materials are generally low, typically in the range of 0.1-10 pm V -1 , limiting technological applications. Guided by quantum mechanical calculations we have measured a high shear piezoelectricity (178 pm V -1 ) in the amino acid crystal beta (β) glycine, which is of similar magnitude to barium titanate or lead zirconate titanate. Our calculations show that the high piezoelectric coefficients originate from an efficient packing of the molecules along certain crystallographic planes and directions. The highest predicted piezoelectric voltage constant for β-glycine crystals is 8 V mN -1 , which is an order of magnitude larger than the voltage generated by any currently used ceramic or polymer.

  18. Fabrication and modelling of 3-3 piezoelectric composites

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Perry, Andrew John

    2002-07-01

    Three-dimensional modelling of a 3-3 piezoelectric structure was carried out using ANSYS finite element modelling software. Hydrophone figures of merit were calculated for structures with increasing amounts of interconnecting porosity. In addition to air being the second phase, polymer fillers were added to the three dimensional model in order to observe the effect of polymer Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio on the piezoelectric response of the composite material. Results show that increasing the porosity has the effect of improving the hydrostatic piezoelectric properties for applications such as low frequency hydrophones. The optimum amount of porosity depends on the figure of merit to be maximised. In order to validate model predictions, porous piezoelectric structures were fabricated by either the BurPS (Burnt out Polymer Spheres) method or polymer foam reticulation. Corresponding measurements of piezoelectric coefficients were carried out on the porous samples. Experimental results confirmed finite element modelling predictions. PZT-porosity composites and PZT-polymer composites were produced exhibiting superior hydrostatic strain constant (d{sub h}), hydrostatic voltage constant (g{sub h}) and hydrostatic figure of merit (d{sub h}g{sub h}) compared to that of dense PZT. (author)

  19. Critical Role of Monoclinic Polarization Rotation in High-Performance Perovskite Piezoelectric Materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Hui; Chen, Jun; Fan, Longlong; Ren, Yang; Pan, Zhao; Lalitha, K V; Rödel, Jürgen; Xing, Xianran

    2017-07-07

    High-performance piezoelectric materials constantly attract interest for both technological applications and fundamental research. The understanding of the origin of the high-performance piezoelectric property remains a challenge mainly due to the lack of direct experimental evidence. We perform in situ high-energy x-ray diffraction combined with 2D geometry scattering technology to reveal the underlying mechanism for the perovskite-type lead-based high-performance piezoelectric materials. The direct structural evidence reveals that the electric-field-driven continuous polarization rotation within the monoclinic plane plays a critical role to achieve the giant piezoelectric response. An intrinsic relationship between the crystal structure and piezoelectric performance in perovskite ferroelectrics has been established: A strong tendency of electric-field-driven polarization rotation generates peak piezoelectric performance and vice versa. Furthermore, the monoclinic M_{A} structure is the key feature to superior piezoelectric properties as compared to other structures such as monoclinic M_{B}, rhombohedral, and tetragonal. A high piezoelectric response originates from intrinsic lattice strain, but little from extrinsic domain switching. The present results will facilitate designing high-performance perovskite piezoelectric materials by enhancing the intrinsic lattice contribution with easy and continuous polarization rotation.

  20. Finite element modeling of piezoelectric elements with complex electrode configuration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Paradies, R; Schläpfer, B

    2009-01-01

    It is well known that the material properties of piezoelectric materials strongly depend on the state of polarization of the individual element. While an unpolarized material exhibits mechanically isotropic material properties in the absence of global piezoelectric capabilities, the piezoelectric material properties become transversally isotropic with respect to the polarization direction after polarization. Therefore, for evaluating piezoelectric elements the material properties, including the coupling between the mechanical and the electromechanical behavior, should be addressed correctly. This is of special importance for the micromechanical description of piezoelectric elements with interdigitated electrodes (IDEs). The best known representatives of this group are active fiber composites (AFCs), macro fiber composites (MFCs) and the radial field diaphragm (RFD), respectively. While the material properties are available for a piezoelectric wafer with a homogeneous polarization perpendicular to its plane as postulated in the so-called uniform field model (UFM), the same information is missing for piezoelectric elements with more complex electrode configurations like the above-mentioned ones with IDEs. This is due to the inhomogeneous field distribution which does not automatically allow for the correct assignment of the material, i.e. orientation and property. A variation of the material orientation as well as the material properties can be accomplished by including the polarization process of the piezoelectric transducer in the finite element (FE) simulation prior to the actual load case to be investigated. A corresponding procedure is presented which automatically assigns the piezoelectric material properties, e.g. elasticity matrix, permittivity, and charge vector, for finite element models (FEMs) describing piezoelectric transducers according to the electric field distribution (field orientation and strength) in the structure. A corresponding code has been

  1. A review of vibration-based MEMS piezoelectric energy harvesters

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Saadon, Salem; Sidek, Othman [Collaborative Microelectronic Design Excellence Center (CEDEC), School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Engineering Campus, 14300 Nibong Tebal, Seberang Perai Selatan, Pulau Pinang (Malaysia)

    2011-01-15

    The simplicity associated with the piezoelectric micro-generators makes it very attractive for MEMS applications, especially for remote systems. In this paper we reviewed the work carried out by researchers during the last three years. The improvements in experimental results obtained in the vibration-based MEMS piezoelectric energy harvesters show very good scope for MEMS piezoelectric harvesters in the field of power MEMS in the near future. (author)

  2. Flexible Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting from Mouse Click Motions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Youngsu Cha

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, we study energy harvesting from the mouse click motions of a robot finger and a human index finger using a piezoelectric material. The feasibility of energy harvesting from mouse click motions is experimentally and theoretically assessed. The fingers wear a glove with a pocket for including the piezoelectric material. We model the energy harvesting system through the inverse kinematic framework of parallel joints in a finger and the electromechanical coupling equations of the piezoelectric material. The model is validated through energy harvesting experiments in the robot and human fingers with the systematically varying load resistance. We find that energy harvesting is maximized at the matched load resistance to the impedance of the piezoelectric material, and the harvested energy level is tens of nJ.

  3. Theoretical Analysis of the Dynamic Properties of a 2-2 Cement-Based Piezoelectric Dual-Layer Stacked Sensor under Impact Load

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Taotao Zhang

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Cement-based piezoelectric materials are widely used due to the fact that compared with common smart materials, they overcome the defects of structure-incompatibility and frequency inconsistency with a concrete structure. However, the present understanding of the mechanical behavior of cement-based piezoelectric smart materials under impact load is still limited. The dynamic characteristics under impact load are of importance, for example, for studying the anti-collision properties of engineering structures and aircraft takeoff-landing safety. Therefore, in this paper, an analytical model was proposed to investigate the dynamic properties of a 2-2 cement-based piezoelectric dual-layer stacked sensor under impact load based on the piezoelectric effect. Theoretical solutions are obtained by utilizing the variable separation and Duhamel integral method. To simulate the impact load and verify the theory, three types of loads, including atransient step load, isosceles triangle load and haversine wave load, are considered and the comparisons between the theoretical results, Li’s results and numerical results are presented by using the control variate method and good agreement is found. Furthermore, the influences of several parameters were discussed and other conclusions about this sensor are also given. This should prove very helpful for the design and optimization of the 2-2 cement-based piezoelectric dual-layer stacked sensor in engineering.

  4. Electrostatic potential in a bent piezoelectric nanowire with consideration of size-dependent piezoelectricity and semiconducting characterization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, K. F.; Wang, B. L.

    2018-06-01

    Determining the electric potential in a bent piezoelectric nanowire (NW) is a fundamental issue of nanogenerators and nanopiezotronics. The combined influence of the flexoelectric effect, the semiconducting performance and the angle of atomic force microscope (AFM) tip has never been studied previously and will be investigated in this paper. The exact solution for the electric potential of a bent piezoelectric semiconductor NW is derived. The electric potential of the present model with consideration of flexoelectric effect varies along the length of the NW and is different from that of the classical piezoelectric model. Flexoelectric effect enhances but the semiconducting performance reduces the electric potential of the NW. In addition, it is found that if the angle of the AFM tip reaches 30°, the error of the electric potential obtained from the model ignored the effect of the angle of the AFM tip is almost 16%, which is unacceptable.

  5. Force Measurement with a Piezoelectric Cantilever in a Scanning Force Microscope

    OpenAIRE

    Tansock, J.; Williams, C. C.

    1992-01-01

    Detection of surface forces between a tip and sample has been demonstrated with a piezoelectric cantilever in a scanning force microscope (SFM). The use of piezoelectric force sensing is particularly advantageous in semiconductor applications where stray light from conventional optical force-sensing methods can significantly modify the local carrier density. Additionally, the piezoelectric sensors are simple, provide good sensitivity to force, and can be batch fabricated. Our piezoelectric fo...

  6. Fabrication of polypeptide-based piezoelectric composite polymer film

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Farrar, Dawnielle; West, James E.; Busch-Vishniac, Ilene J.; Yu, Seungju M.

    2008-01-01

    A new class of molecular composite piezoelectric material was produced by simultaneous poling and curing of a homogeneous solution comprising poly(γ-benzyl α,L-glutamate) and methylmethacrylate via corona discharge methods. This film exhibited high piezoelectricity (d 33 = 23 pC N -1 ), and its mechanical characteristics (modulus = 450 MPa) were similar to those of low molecular weight poly(methylmethacrylate). As it is produced via solution-based fabrication processes, the composite film is conducive to miniaturization for small sensors with integrated electronics, and could also potentially be used in piezoelectric coating applications

  7. Flow energy piezoelectric bimorph nozzle harvester

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sherrit, Stewart; Lee, Hyeong Jae; Walkemeyer, Phillip; Hasenoehrl, Jennifer; Hall, Jeffrey L.; Colonius, Tim; Tosi, Luis Phillipe; Arrazola, Alvaro; Kim, Namhyo; Sun, Kai; Corbett, Gary

    2014-04-01

    There is a need for a long-life power generation scheme that could be used downhole in an oil well to produce 1 Watt average power. There are a variety of existing or proposed energy harvesting schemes that could be used in this environment but each of these has its own limitations. The vibrating piezoelectric structure is in principle capable of operating for very long lifetimes (decades) thereby possibly overcoming a principle limitation of existing technology based on rotating turbo-machinery. In order to determine the feasibility of using piezoelectrics to produce suitable flow energy harvesting, we surveyed experimentally a variety of nozzle configurations that could be used to excite a vibrating piezoelectric structure in such a way as to enable conversion of flow energy into useful amounts of electrical power. These included reed structures, spring mass-structures, drag and lift bluff bodies and a variety of nozzles with varying flow profiles. Although not an exhaustive survey we identified a spline nozzle/piezoelectric bimorph system that experimentally produced up to 3.4 mW per bimorph. This paper will discuss these results and present our initial analyses of the device using dimensional analysis and constitutive electromechanical modeling. The analysis suggests that an order-of-magnitude improvement in power generation from the current design is possible.

  8. High-frequency performance for a spiral-shaped piezoelectric bimorph

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Fang Sheng; Feng, Zhi Hua; Ma, Yu Ting; Pan, Qiao Sheng; Zhang, Lian Sheng; Liu, Yong Bin; He, Liang Guo

    2018-04-01

    Piezoelectric cantilever is suitable as an actuator for micro-flapping-wing aircraft. Higher resonant frequency brings about stronger flight energy, and the flight amplitude can be compensated by displacement-amplification mechanism, such as lever. To obtain a higher resonant frequency, straight piezoelectric bimorph was rolled into spiral-shaped piezoelectric bimorph with identical effective length in this study, which is verified in COMSOL simulations. Simulation results show that compared with the straight piezoelectric bimorph, the spiral-shaped piezoelectric bimorph with two turns has higher inherent frequencies (from 204.79 Hz to 504.84 Hz in terms of axial oscillation mode, and from 319.77 Hz to 704.48 Hz in terms of tangential torsional mode). The spiral-shaped piezoelectric bimorph is fabricated by a precise laser cutting process and consists of two turns with effective length of 60 mm, width of 2.5 mm, and thickness of 1.6 mm, respectively. With the excitation voltage of 100 Vpp applying an electric field across the thickness of the bimorph, the tip displacement of the actuator in the axial oscillation and tangential torsional modes are 85 μm and 15 μm, respectively.

  9. Proof mass effects on spiral electrode d33 mode piezoelectric diaphragm-based energy harvester

    KAUST Repository

    Shen, Zhiyuan; Liu, Shuwei; Miao, Jianmin; Woh, Lye Sun; Wang, Zhihong

    2013-01-01

    This paper presents the characterization of an energy harvester using a piezoelectric diaphragm as the vibration energy conversion microstructure. The diaphragm containing the spiral electrode operates in the d33 mode. The energy harvesting performance of the diaphragm was characterized. The optimal resistance load and the working frequency were characterized. The resonance tuning and the energy harvesting enhancement due to a proof mass were verified. © 2013 IEEE.

  10. Research on the equivalent circuit model of a circular flexural-vibration-research on the equivalent circuit model of a circular flexural-vibration-mode piezoelectric transformer with moderate thickness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Yihua; Huang, Wenjin; Wang, Qinglei; Su, Xujian

    2013-07-01

    The equivalent circuit model of a piezoelectric transformer is useful in designing and optimizing the related driving circuits. Based on previous work, an equivalent circuit model for a circular flexural-vibration-mode piezoelectric transformer with moderate thickness is proposed and validated by finite element analysis. The input impedance, voltage gain, and efficiency of the transformer are determined through computation. The basic behaviors of the transformer are shown by numerical results.

  11. Nonlinear free vibration of piezoelectric nanobeams incorporating surface effects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hosseini-Hashemi, Shahrokh; Nahas, Iman; Fakher, Mahmood; Nazemnezhad, Reza

    2014-01-01

    In this study, the nonlinear free vibration of piezoelectric nanobeams incorporating surface effects (surface elasticity, surface tension, and surface density) is studied. The governing equation of the piezoelectric nanobeam is derived within the framework of Euler–Bernoulli beam theory with the von Kármán geometric nonlinearity. In order to satisfy the balance conditions between the nanobeam bulk and its surfaces, the component of the bulk stress, σ zz , is assumed to vary linearly through the nanobeam thickness. An exact solution is obtained for the natural frequencies of a simply supported piezoelectric nanobeam in terms of the Jacobi elliptic functions using the free vibration mode shape of the corresponding linear problem. Then, the influences of the surface effects and the piezoelectric field on the nonlinear free vibration of nanobeams made of aluminum and silicon with positive and negative surface elasticity, respectively, have been studied for various properties of the piezoelectric field, various nanobeam sizes and amplitude ratios. It is observed that if the Young’s modulus of a nanobeam is lower, the effect of the piezoelectric field on the frequency ratios (FRs) of the nanobeam will be greater. In addition, it is seen that by increasing the nanobeam length so that the nanobeam cross section is set to be constant, the surface effects and the piezoelectric field with negative voltage values increases the FRs, whereas it is the other way around when the nanobeam cross section is assumed to be dependent on the length of the nanobeam. (paper)

  12. Enhanced magnetoelectric effects in composite of piezoelectric ceramics, rare-earth iron alloys, and shape-optimized nanocrystalline alloys.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jitao; Li, Ping; Wen, Yumei; He, Wei; Yang, Aichao; Lu, Caijiang

    2014-03-01

    An enhancement for magnetoelectric (ME) effects is studied in a three-phase ME architecture consisting of two magnetostrictive Terfenol-D (Tb(0.3)Dy(0.7)Fe(1.92)) plates, a piezoelectric PZT (Pb(Zr,Ti)O3) plate, and a pair of shape-optimized FeCuNbSiB nanocrystalline alloys. By modifying the conventional shape of the magnetic flux concentrator, the shape-optimized flux concentrator has an improved effective permeability (μ(eff)) due to the shape-induced demagnetizing effect at its end surface. The flux concentrator concentrates and amplifies the external magnetic flux into Terfenol-D plate by means of changing its internal flux concentrating manner. Consequently, more flux lines can be uniformly concentrated into Terfenol-D plates. The effective piezomagnetic coefficients (d(33m)) of Terfenol-D plate and the ME voltage coefficients (α(ME)) can be further improved under a lower magnetic bias field. The dynamic magneto-elastic properties and the effective magnetic induction of Terfenol-D are taken into account to derive the enhanced effective ME voltage coefficients (α(ME,eff)), the consistency of experimental results and theoretical analyses verifies this enhancement. The experimental results demonstrate that the maximum d(33m) in our proposed architecture achieves 22.48 nm/A under a bias of 114 Oe. The maximum α(ME) in the bias magnetic range 0-900 Oe reaches 84.73 mV/Oe under the low frequency of 1 kHz, and 2.996 V/Oe under the resonance frequency of 102.3 kHz, respectively. It exhibits a 1.43 times larger piezomagnetic coefficient and a 1.87 times higher ME voltage coefficient under a smaller magnetic bias of 82 Oe than those of a conventional Terfenol-D/PZT/Terfenol-D composite. These shape-induced magnetoelectric behaviors provide the possibility of using this ME architecture in ultra-sensitive magnetic sensors.

  13. Full Piezoelectric Multilayer-Stacked Hybrid Actuation/Transduction Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Su, Ji; Jiang, Xiaoning; Zu, Tian-Bing

    2011-01-01

    The Stacked HYBATS (Hybrid Actuation/Transduction system) demonstrates significantly enhanced electromechanical performance by using the cooperative contributions of the electromechanical responses of multilayer, stacked negative strain components and positive strain components. Both experimental and theoretical studies indicate that, for Stacked HYBATS, the displacement is over three times that of a same-sized conventional flextensional actuator/transducer. The coupled resonance mode between positive strain and negative strain components of Stacked HYBATS is much stronger than the resonance of a single element actuation only when the effective lengths of the two kinds of elements match each other. Compared with the previously invented hybrid actuation system (HYBAS), the multilayer Stacked HYBATS can be designed to provide high mechanical load capability, low voltage driving, and a highly effective piezoelectric constant. The negative strain component will contract, and the positive strain component will expand in the length directions when an electric field is applied on the device. The interaction between the two elements makes an enhanced motion along the Z direction for Stacked-HYBATS. In order to dominate the dynamic length of Stacked-HYBATS by the negative strain component, the area of the cross-section for the negative strain component will be much larger than the total cross-section areas of the two positive strain components. The transverse strain is negative and longitudinal strain positive in inorganic materials, such as ceramics/single crystals. Different piezoelectric multilayer stack configurations can make a piezoelectric ceramic/single-crystal multilayer stack exhibit negative strain or positive strain at a certain direction without increasing the applied voltage. The difference of this innovation from the HYBAS is that all the elements can be made from one-of-a-kind materials. Stacked HYBATS can provide an extremely effective piezoelectric

  14. Mechanical and Vibration Testing of Carbon Fiber Composite Material with Embedded Piezoelectric Sensors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duffy, Kirsten P.; Lerch, Bradley A.; Wilmoth, Nathan G.; Kray, Nicholas; Gemeinhardt, Gregory

    2012-01-01

    Piezoelectric materials have been proposed as a means of decreasing turbomachinery blade vibration either through a passive damping scheme, or as part of an active vibration control system. For polymer matrix fiber composite (PMFC) blades, the piezoelectric elements could be embedded within the blade material, protecting the brittle piezoceramic material from the airflow and from debris. Before implementation of a piezoelectric element within a PMFC blade, the effect on PMFC mechanical properties needs to be understood. This study attempts to determine how the inclusion of a packaged piezoelectric patch affects the material properties of the PMFC. Composite specimens with embedded piezoelectric patches were tested in four-point bending, short beam shear, and flatwise tension configurations. Results show that the embedded piezoelectric material does decrease the strength of the composite material, especially in flatwise tension, attributable to failure at the interface or within the piezoelectric element itself. In addition, the sensing properties of the post-cured embedded piezoelectric materials were tested, and performed as expected. The piezoelectric materials include a non-flexible patch incorporating solid piezoceramic material, and two flexible patch types incorporating piezoelectric fibers. The piezoceramic material used in these patches was Navy Type-II PZT.

  15. Design of acousto-optical devices by topology optimization

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dühring, Maria Bayard

    2009-01-01

    the piezoelectric model is used in the optimization and the objective function is the squared absolute value of the strain in the vertical direction in the waveguide. The objective function is maximized by distributing air and solid material in an area below the waveguide. The optical model is solved...... by means of topology optimization is presented. The surface acoustic waves are generated by interdigital transducers in a 2D piezoelectric model, which is coupled to an optical model where the optical mode in the waveguide is found by solving the time-harmonic wave equation for the magnetic field. Only...... with the squared applied electric power. It is here shown that the acousto-optical interaction can be increased almost 10 times by redistribution of solid material and air in the design domain....

  16. Development of Op-Amp Based Piezoelectric Rectifier for Low Power Energy Harvesting Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Syazmie Bin Sepeeh Muhamad

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available In this study, the development of operational amplifier (op-amp based rectifier for piezoelectric energy harvesting applications was studied. The two stage op-amp full wave rectifier was used to convert the AC signal to DC signal voltage received by piezoelectric devices. The inverted half wave rectifier integrated with full wave rectifier were designed and simulated using MultiSIM software. The circuit was then fabricated onto a printed circuit board (PCB, using standard fabrication process. The achievement of this rectifier was able to boost up the maximum voltage of 5 V for input voltage of 800 mV. The output of the rectifier was in DC signal after the rectification by the op-amp. In term of power, the power dissipation was reduced consequently the waste power decreases. Future work includes optimization of the rectifying circuit to operate more efficiently can be made to increase the efficiency of the devices.

  17. Enhanced Piezoelectric Response of AlN via CrN Alloying

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Manna, Sukriti; Talley, Kevin R.; Gorai, Prashun; Mangum, John; Zakutayev, Andriy; Brennecka, Geoff L.; Stevanović, Vladan; Ciobanu, Cristian V.

    2018-03-01

    Since AlN has emerged as an important piezoelectric material for a wide variety of applications, efforts have been made to increase its piezoelectric response via alloying with transition metals that can substitute for Al in the wurtzite lattice. We report on density functional theory calculations of structure and properties of the CrxAl1-xN system for Cr concentrations ranging from zero to beyond the wurtzite-rocksalt transition point. By studying the different contributions to the longitudinal piezoelectric coefficient, we propose that the physical origin of the enhanced piezoelectricity in CrxAl1-xN alloys is the increase of the internal parameter u of the wurtzite structure upon substitution of Al with the larger Cr ions. Among a set of wurtzite-structured materials, we find that CrxAl1-xN has the most sensitive piezoelectric coefficient with respect to alloying concentration. Based on these results, we propose that CrxAl1-xN is a viable piezoelectric material whose properties can be tuned via Cr composition. We support this proposal by combinatorial synthesis experiments, which show that Cr can be incorporated in the AlN lattice up to 30% before a detectable transition to rocksalt occurs. At this Cr content, the piezoelectric modulus d33 is approximately 4 times larger than that of pure AlN. This finding, combined with the relative ease of synthesis under nonequilibrium conditions, may position CrxAl1-xN as a prime piezoelectric material for applications such as resonators and acoustic wave generators.

  18. Enhanced Piezoelectric Response of AlN via CrN Alloying

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manna, Sukriti; Talley, Kevin R.; Gorai, Prashun; Mangum, John; Zakutayev, Andriy; Brennecka, Geoff L.; Stevanović, Vladan; Ciobanu, Cristian V.

    2018-03-01

    Since AlN has emerged as an important piezoelectric material for a wide variety of applications, efforts have been made to increase its piezoelectric response via alloying with transition metals that can substitute for Al in the wurtzite lattice. We report on density functional theory calculations of structure and properties of the Crx Al1 -x N system for Cr concentrations ranging from zero to beyond the wurtzite-rocksalt transition point. By studying the different contributions to the longitudinal piezoelectric coefficient, we propose that the physical origin of the enhanced piezoelectricity in Crx Al1 -x N alloys is the increase of the internal parameter u of the wurtzite structure upon substitution of Al with the larger Cr ions. Among a set of wurtzite-structured materials, we find that Crx Al1 -x N has the most sensitive piezoelectric coefficient with respect to alloying concentration. Based on these results, we propose that Crx Al1 -x N is a viable piezoelectric material whose properties can be tuned via Cr composition. We support this proposal by combinatorial synthesis experiments, which show that Cr can be incorporated in the AlN lattice up to 30% before a detectable transition to rocksalt occurs. At this Cr content, the piezoelectric modulus d33 is approximately 4 times larger than that of pure AlN. This finding, combined with the relative ease of synthesis under nonequilibrium conditions, may position Crx Al1 -x N as a prime piezoelectric material for applications such as resonators and acoustic wave generators.

  19. Evaluation of electromechanical coupling parameters of piezoelectric materials by using piezoelectric cantilever with coplanar electrode structure in quasi-stasis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Xuejun; Zhu, Yuankun; Liu, Xun; Liu, Jing; Zhang, Yong; Chen, Jianguo

    2014-02-01

    Based on Timoshenko beam theory, a principle model is proposed to establish the relationship between electric charge and excitation acceleration, and in quasi-stasis we apply the direct piezoelectric effect of multilayer cantilever with coplanar electrode structure to evaluate the piezoelectric strain coefficient d15 and electromechanical coupling coefficient k15. They are measured as 678 pC/N and 0.74 for the commercial piezoelectric ceramic lead zirconate titanate (PZT-51) bulk specimen and 656 pC/N and 0.63 for the lead magnesium niobate (PMN) bulk specimen, and they are in agreement with the calibration and simulation values. The maximum of relative errors is less than 4.2%, so the proposed method is reliable and convenient.

  20. A study on the performance of piezoelectric composite materials for designing embedded transducers for concrete assessment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dumoulin, Cédric; Deraemaeker, Arnaud

    2018-03-01

    Ultrasonic measurements of concrete can provide crucial information about its state of health. The most common practice in the construction industry consists in using external probes which strongly limits the use of the method since large parts of the in-service structures are difficult to access. It is also possible to assess in real time the setting process of the concrete using ultrasonic measurements. In practice, the field measurement of the concrete hardening is limited by the formworks. As an alternative, some research teams have studied the possibility to directly embed the transducers into the concrete structures. The current embedded ultrasonic transducers are of two categories: bulk piezoelectric elements surrounded by several coating and matching layers and composites piezoelectric elements. Both technologies aim at optimizing the wave energy transmitted to the tested medium. The performances of the transducers of the first kind have been studied in a previous study. A fair amount of recent research has been focused on the development of novel cement-based piezoelectric composites. In this study, we first compare the effective properties of such cement-based materials with more widespread composites made with matrices of epoxy resins or polyurethane. The study only concerns the 1-3 fiber arrangement composites. The effective properties are computed using both an analytical mixing rule method and a finite element based homogenization method using representative volume elements (RVEs) which allows for considering more realistic fiber arrangements, leading yet to very similar results. The effective piezoelectric properties of cement-based composites appear to be very low compared to composites made of epoxy or polyurethane. This result is underlined by looking at the acoustic response and the electric input impedance of different piezoelectric disks where we compare performances of such transducers with a low-cost bulk piezoelectric disc element. The first

  1. Design and Optimization of AlN based RF MEMS Switches

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hasan Ziko, Mehadi; Koel, Ants

    2018-05-01

    Radio frequency microelectromechanical system (RF MEMS) switch technology might have potential to replace the semiconductor technology in future communication systems as well as communication satellites, wireless and mobile phones. This study is to explore the possibilities of RF MEMS switch design and optimization with aluminium nitride (AlN) thin film as the piezoelectric actuation material. Achieving low actuation voltage and high contact force with optimal geometry using the principle of piezoelectric effect is the main motivation for this research. Analytical and numerical modelling of single beam type RF MEMS switch used to analyse the design parameters and optimize them for the minimum actuation voltage and high contact force. An analytical model using isotropic AlN material properties used to obtain the optimal parameters. The optimized geometry of the device length, width and thickness are 2000 µm, 500 µm and 0.6 µm respectively obtained for the single beam RF MEMS switch. Low actuation voltage and high contact force with optimal geometry are less than 2 Vand 100 µN obtained by analytical analysis. Additionally, the single beam RF MEMS switch are optimized and validated by comparing the analytical and finite element modelling (FEM) analysis.

  2. Study the Postbuckling of Hexagonal Piezoelectric Nanowires with Surface Effect

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O. Rahmani

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Piezoelectric nanobeams having circular, rectangular and hexagonal cross-sections are synthesized and used in various Nano structures; however, piezoelectric nanobeams with hexagonal cross-sections have not been studied in detail. In particular, the physical mechanisms of the surface effect and the role of surface stress, surface elasticity and surface piezoelectricity have not been discussed thoroughly. The present study investigated post-buckling behavior of piezoelectric nanobeams by examining surface effects. The energy method was applied to post-buckling of hexagonal nanobeams and the critical buckling voltage and amplitude are derived analytically from bulk and surface material properties and geometric factors.

  3. Electrostatic potential in a bent piezoelectric nanowire with consideration of size-dependent piezoelectricity and semiconducting characterization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Kaifa; Wang, Baolin

    2018-03-26

    Determining the electric potential in a bent piezoelectric nanowire (NW) is a fundamental issue of nanogenerators and nanopiezotronics. The combined influence of the flexoelectric effect, the semiconducting performance and the angle of atomic force microscope (AFM) tip has never been studied previously and will be investigated in this paper. The exact solution for the electric potential of a bent piezoelectric semiconductor NW is derived. The electric potential of the present model with consideration of flexoelectric effect varies along the length of the NW and is different from that of the classical piezoelectric model. Flexoelectric effect enhances but the semiconducting performance reduces the electric potential of the NW. In addition, it is found that if the angle of the AFM tip reaches 30 degrees, the error of the electric potential obtained from the model ignored the effect of the angle of the AFM tip is almost 16%, which is unacceptable. © 2018 IOP Publishing Ltd.

  4. Inductorless bi-directional piezoelectric transformerbased converters: Design and control considerations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ekhtiari, Marzieh

    electromagnetic interference, compact, light, high power density and low cost allows for promising market in the near future. The piezoelectric transformer technology has the potential to be used in various applications e.g. motor driver for magnetic resonance imaging scans, the electronic ballast for fluorescent...... of inductorless switch-mode power supplies employing piezoelectric transformers. The main focus of this research is on the functionality of the piezoelectric transformer-based power converters and applying control techniques in order to exploit advantages of the piezoelectric transformers for the power converters...... detector applicable for switch-mode power supplies, optimum phase detector, bi-directional wide bandwidth current sensor and a comprehensive analysis of piezoelectric transformer-based switch-mode power supplies for zero-voltage switching, where all finalized with improving the unidirectional topology...

  5. Quantitative Examination of Piezoelectric/Seismoelectric Anomalies from Near-Surface Targets

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lev Eppelbaum

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The piezoelectric and seismo-electrokinetic phenomena are manifested by electrical and electromagnetic processes that occur in rocks under the influence of elastic oscillations triggered by shots or mechanical impacts. Differences in piezoelectric properties between the studied targets and host media determine the possibilities of the piezoelectric/seismoelectric method application. Over a long time, an interpretation of obtained data is carried out by the use of methods developed in seismic prospecting. Examination of nature of piezoelectric/seismoelectric anomalies observed in subsurface indicates that these may be related (mainly to electric potential field. In this paper, it is shown that quantitative analysis of piezoelectric/seismoelectric anomalies may be performed by the advanced and reliable methodologies developed in magnetic prospecting. Some examples from mining geophysics (Russia and ancient metallurgical site (Israel confirm applicability of the suggested approach.

  6. Analyses of power output of piezoelectric energy-harvesting devices directly connected to a load resistor using a coupled piezoelectric-circuit finite element method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Meiling; Worthington, Emma; Njuguna, James

    2009-07-01

    This paper presents, for the first time, a coupled piezoelectric-circuit finite element model (CPC-FEM) to analyze the power output of a vibration-based piezoelectric energy-harvesting device (EHD) when it is connected to a load resistor. Special focus is given to the effect of the load resistor value on the vibrational amplitude of the piezoelectric EHD, and thus on the current, voltage, and power generated by the device, which are normally assumed to be independent of the load resistor value to reduce the complexity of modeling and simulation. The presented CPC-FEM uses a cantilever with a sandwich structure and a seismic mass attached to the tip to study the following characteristics of the EHD as a result of changing the load resistor value: 1) the electric outputs: the current through and voltage across the load resistor; 2) the power dissipated by the load resistor; 3) the displacement amplitude of the tip of the cantilever; and 4) the shift in the resonant frequency of the device. It is found that these characteristics of the EHD have a significant dependence on the load resistor value, rather than being independent of it as is assumed in most literature. The CPC-FEM is capable of predicting the generated output power of the EHD with different load resistor values while simultaneously calculating the effect of the load resistor value on the displacement amplitude of the tip of the cantilever. This makes the CPC-FEM invaluable for validating the performance of a designed EHD before it is fabricated and tested, thereby reducing the recurring costs associated with repeat fabrication and trials. In addition, the proposed CPC-FEM can also be used for producing an optimized design for maximum power output.

  7. Design of a piezoelectric shaker for centrifuge testing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Canclini, J. G.; Henderson, J. M.

    1979-01-01

    The design of a prototype piezoelectric shaker and its development to date is described. Although certain design problems remain to be solved, the piezoelectric system shows promise for adaptation to a larger payload system, such as the proposed geotechnical centrifuge at the Ames Research Center.

  8. Real World Testing Of A Piezoelectric Rotational Energy Harvester For Human Motion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pillatsch, P; Yeatman, E M; Holmes, A S

    2013-01-01

    Harvesting energy from human motion is challenging because the frequencies are generally low and random compared to industrial machinery that vibrates at much higher frequencies. One of the most promising and popular strategies to overcome this is frequency up-conversion. The transducing element is actuated at its optimal frequency of operation, higher than the source excitation frequency, through some kind of catch and release mechanism. This is beneficial for efficient power generation. Such devices have now been investigated for a few years and this paper takes a previously introduced piezoelectric rotational harvester, relying on beam plucking for the energy conversion, to the next step by testing the device during a half marathon race. The prototype and data acquisition system are described in detail and the experimental results presented. A comparison of the input excitation, based on an accelerometer readout, and the output voltage of the piezoelectric beam, recorded at the same time, confirm the successful implementation of the system. For a device functional volume of 1.85 cm 3 , a maximum power output of 7 μW was achieved when the system was worn on the upper arm. However, degradation of the piezoelectric material meant that the performance dropped rapidly from this initial level; this requires further research. Furthermore, the need for intermediate energy storage solutions is discussed, as human motion harvesters only generate power as long as the wearer is actually moving

  9. Analysis of Piezoelectric Solids using Finite Element Method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aslam, Mohammed; Nagarajan, Praveen; Remanan, Mini

    2018-03-01

    Piezoelectric materials are extensively used in smart structures as sensors and actuators. In this paper, static analysis of three piezoelectric solids is done using general-purpose finite element software, Abaqus. The simulation results from Abaqus are compared with the results obtained using numerical methods like Boundary Element Method (BEM) and meshless point collocation method (PCM). The BEM and PCM are cumbersome for complex shape and complicated boundary conditions. This paper shows that the software Abaqus can be used to solve the governing equations of piezoelectric solids in a much simpler and faster way than the BEM and PCM.

  10. Flow Energy Piezoelectric Bimorph Nozzle Harvester

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sherrit, Stewart (Inventor); Walkemeyer, Phillip E. (Inventor); Hall, Jeffrey L. (Inventor); Lee, Hyeong Jae (Inventor); Colonius, Tim (Inventor); Tosi, Phillipe (Inventor); Kim, Namhyo (Inventor); Sun, Kai (Inventor); Corbett, Thomas Gary (Inventor); Arrazola, Alvaro Jose (Inventor)

    2016-01-01

    A flow energy harvesting device having a harvester pipe includes a flow inlet that receives flow from a primary pipe, a flow outlet that returns the flow into the primary pipe, and a flow diverter within the harvester pipe having an inlet section coupled to the flow inlet, a flow constriction section coupled to the inlet section and positioned at a midpoint of the harvester pipe and having a spline shape with a substantially reduced flow opening size at a constriction point along the spline shape, and an outlet section coupled to the constriction section. The harvester pipe may further include a piezoelectric structure extending from the inlet section through the constriction section and point such that the fluid flow past the constriction point results in oscillatory pressure amplitude inducing vibrations in the piezoelectric structure sufficient to cause a direct piezoelectric effect and to generate electrical power for harvesting.

  11. Feasible integration in asphalt of piezoelectric cymbals for vibration energy harvesting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moure, A.; Izquierdo Rodríguez, M.A.; Rueda, S. Hernández; Gonzalo, A.; Rubio-Marcos, F.; Cuadros, D. Urquiza; Pérez-Lepe, A.; Fernández, J.F.

    2016-01-01

    Graphical abstract: A system based on piezoelectric cymbals embedded in asphalt for the first time is used as harvester for wasted vibrational energy produced by traffic. Energy density in the range of other alternative sources is achieved, with an estimated projected cost that shows the feasibility of this harvesting energy system. - Highlights: • Piezoelectric cymbals have been directly integrated in asphalt for the first time. • Harvesting from wasted vibrational energy caused by vehicles is demonstrated to be feasible by this integration. • Energy density and cost are estimated to be competitive with other sources as photovoltaic. • A 10% of the energy generated in the Region of Madrid can be obtained by covering only the 0.6% of its roads. - Abstract: Piezoelectric cymbals with 29-mm diameter and different configurations are fabricated and tested to determine the best conditions to optimize the conversion of mechanical to electric energy. Then, the ones with the best results are integrated directly in asphalt to evaluate their performance as vibration energy harvesters in roads, in a test bench designed to characterize these parameters. The main cymbal parameters and their integration in the asphalt are determined. For the first time, the electrical energy that can be obtained with the embedment of cymbals in asphalt is evaluated. Each single piezoceramic cymbal recovers up to 16 μW for the pass of one heavy vehicle wheel. An extrapolation of the energy transformed by the integrated cymbals in roads with high vehicle densities, such as in a peri-urban motorway, is approached. Energy densities in the range of 40–50 MW h/m"2 can be obtained at 100 m of road (use of 30,000 cymbals), which could account for more than 65 MW h in a year. All this with a relatively low cost for an emerging technology (less than 2 €/kW h). The conversion of wasted and unused vibrational energy in roads by piezoelectric cymbals is thus proved as a real possibility of

  12. Large In-Plane and Vertical Piezoelectricity in Janus Transition Metal Dichalchogenides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Liang; Lou, Jun; Shenoy, Vivek B

    2017-08-22

    Piezoelectricity in 2D van der Waals materials has received considerable interest because of potential applications in nanoscale energy harvesting, sensors, and actuators. However, in all the systems studied to date, strain and electric polarization are confined to the basal plane, limiting the operation of piezoelectric devices. In this paper, based on ab initio calculations, we report a 2D materials system, namely, the recently synthesized Janus MXY (M = Mo or W, X/Y = S, Se, or Te) monolayer and multilayer structures, with large out-of-plane piezoelectric polarization. For MXY monolayers, both strong in-plane and much weaker out-of-plane piezoelectric polarizations can be induced by a uniaxial strain in the basal plane. For multilayer MXY, we obtain a very strong out-of-plane piezoelectric polarization when strained transverse to the basal plane, regardless of the stacking sequence. The out-of-plane piezoelectric coefficient d 33 is found to be strongest in multilayer MoSTe (5.7-13.5 pm/V depending on the stacking sequence), which is larger than that of the commonly used 3D piezoelectric material AlN (d 33 = 5.6 pm/V); d 33 in other multilayer MXY structures are a bit smaller, but still comparable. Our study reveals the potential for utilizing piezoelectric 2D materials and their van der Waals multilayers in device applications.

  13. In Situ Poling and Imidization of Amorphous Piezoelectric Polyimides

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Cheol; Ounaies, Zoubeida; Wise, Kristopher E.; Harrison, Joycelyn S.; Bushnell, Dennis M. (Technical Monitor)

    2002-01-01

    An amorphous piezoelectric polyimide containing polar functional groups has been developed using a combination of experimental and molecular modeling for potential use in high temperature applications. This amorphous polyimide, (Beta-CN)APB/ODPA, has exhibited good thermal stability and piezoelectric response at temperatures up to 150C. Density functional calculations predicted that a partially cured amic acid (open imide ring) possesses a dipole moment four times larger than the fully imidized closed ring. In situ poling and imidization of the partially cured (Beta-CN)APB/ODPA, was studied in an attempt to maximize the degree of dipolar orientation and the resultant piezoelectric response. A positive corona poling was used to minimize localized arcing during poling and to allow use of higher poling fields without dielectric breakdown. The dielectric relaxation strength, remanent polarization, and piezoelectric response were evaluated as a function of the poling profile. The partially cured, corona poled polymers exhibited higher dielectric relaxation strength (delta varepsilon), remanent polarization (Pr) and piezoelectric strain coefficient (d33) than the fully cured, conventionally poled ones.

  14. Proposition for sensorless self-excitation by a piezoelectric device

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tanaka, Y.; Kokubun, Y.; Yabuno, H.

    2018-04-01

    In this paper, we propose a method to realize self-excitation in an oscillator actuated by a piezoelectric device without a sensor. In general, the positive feedback associated with the oscillator velocity causes the self-excitation. Instead of measuring the velocity with a sensor, we utilize the electro-mechanical coupling effect in the oscillator and piezoelectric device. We drive the piezoelectric device with a current proportional to the linear combination of the voltage across the terminals of the piezoelectric device and its differential voltage signal. Then, the oscillator with the piezoelectric device behaves like a third-order system, which has three eigenvalues. The self-excitation can be realized because appropriate feedback gains can set two of the eigenvalues to be conjugate complex roots with a positive real part and the other eigenvalue to be a negative real root. To confirm the validity of the proposed method, we experimentally demonstrated the sensorless self-excitation and, as an application example, carried out mass sensing in a sensorless self-excited macrocantilever.

  15. Theoretical and experimental investigations of thickness- stretch modes in 1-3 piezoelectric composites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Z T; Zeng, D P; He, M; Wang, H

    2015-01-01

    Bulk piezoelectric ceramics operating in thickness-stretch (TSt) modes have been widely used in acoustic-related devices. However, the fundamental TSt waves are always coupled with other modes, and the occurrence of these spurious modes in bulk piezoelectric ceramics affects its performance. To suppress the spurious modes, 1-3 piezoelectric composites are promising candidates. However, theoretical modeling of multiphase ceramic composite objects is very complex. In this study, a 1-3 piezoelectric composite sample and a bulk piezoelectric sample are fabricated. The electrical impedance of these two samples are compared. A simple analytical TSt vibration mode from the three dimensional equations of linear piezoelectricity is used to model the performance of 1-3 piezoelectric composites. The theoretical results agree well with the experimental results. (paper)

  16. Special topics in the theory of piezoelectricity

    CERN Document Server

    Yang, Jiashi

    2009-01-01

    Piezoelectricity has been a steadily growing field, with recent advances made by researchers from applied physics, acoustics, materials science, and engineering. This collective work presents a comprehensive treatment of selected advanced topics in the subject. The book is written for an intermediate graduate level and is intended for researchers, mechanical engineers, and applied mathematicians interested in the advances and new applications in piezoelectricity.

  17. Magnetostrictive-piezoelectric magnetic sensor with current excitation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Prieto, J.L.; Aroca, C.; Lopez, E.; Sanchez, M.C.; Sanchez, P.

    2000-01-01

    A new working configuration for magnetostrictive-piezoelectric magnetic sensors is presented. In this configuration, the excitation is caused using an electrical current flowing through the ferromagnetic sample and the induced signal is sensed in the piezoelectric support as an electrical voltage. This new idea allows a magnetic field detection without any coil and opens a possibility for a future miniaturisation of the sensor

  18. Vibration of Piezoelectric Nanowires Including Surface Effects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. Ansari

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, surface and piezoelectric effects on the vibration behavior of nanowires (NWs are investigated by using a Timoshenko beam model. The electric field equations and the governing equations of motion for the piezoelectric NWs are derived with the consideration of surface effects. By the exact solution of the governing equations, an expression for the natural frequencies of NWs with simply-supported boundary conditions is obtained. The effects of piezoelectricity and surface effects on the vibrational behavior of Timoshenko NWs are graphically illustrated. A comparison is also made between the predictions of Timoshenko beam model and those of its Euler-Bernoulli counterpart. Additionally, the present results are validated through comparison with the available data in the literature.

  19. Nonlinear piezoelectricity in PZT ceramics for generating ultrasonic phase conjugate waves

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamamoto; Kokubo; Sakai; Takagi

    2000-03-01

    We have succeeded in the generation of acoustic phase conjugate waves with nonlinear PZT piezoelectric ceramics and applied them to ultrasonic imaging systems. Our aim is to make a phase conjugator with 100% efficiency. For this purpose, it is important to clarify the mechanism of acoustic phase conjugation through nonlinear piezoelectricity. The process is explained by the parametric interaction via the third-order nonlinear piezoelectricity between the incident acoustic wave at angular frequency omega and the pump electric field at 2 omega. We solved the coupling equations including the third-ordered nonlinear piezoelectricity and theoretically derived the amplitude efficiency of the acoustic phase conjugation. We compared the efficiencies between the theoretical and experimental values for PZT ceramics with eight different compositions. Pb[(Zn1/3Nb2/3)(1 - x)Tix]O3 (X = 0.09, PZNT91/9) piezoelectric single crystals have been investigated for high-performance ultrasonic transducer application, because these have large piezoelectric constants, high electrical-mechanical coupling factors and high dielectric constants. We found that they have third-order nonlinear piezoelectric constants much larger than PZT and are hopeful that the material as a phase conjugator has over 100% efficiency.

  20. Simulation and parallel connection of step-down piezoelectric transformers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thang, Vo Viet; Kim, In Sung; Jeong, Soon Jong; Kim, Min Soo; Song, Jae Sung

    2012-01-01

    Piezoelectric transformers have been used widely in electronic circuits due to advantages such as high efficiency, miniaturization and no flammability; however the output power has been limited. For overcoming this drawback, some research has recently been focused on connections between piezoelectric transformers. Based on these operations, the output power has been improved compared to the single operation. Parallel operation of step-down piezoelectric transformers is presented in this paper. An important factor affecting the parallel operation of piezoelectric transformer was the resonance frequency, and a small difference in resonance frequencies was obtained with transformers having the same dimensions and fabricating processes. The piezoelectric transformers were found to operate in first radial mode at a frequency of 68 kHz. An equivalent circuit was used to investigate parallel driving of piezoelectric transformers and then to compare the result with experimental observations. The electrical characteristics, including the output voltage, output power and efficient were measured at a matching resistive load. Effects of frequency on the step-down ratio and of the input voltage on the power properties in the simulation were similar to the experimental results. The output power of the parallel operation was 35 W at a load of 50 Ω and an input voltage of 100 V; the temperature rise was 30 .deg. C and the efficiency was 88%.

  1. A Reactive-Ion Etch for Patterning Piezoelectric Thin Film

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Eui-Hyeok; Wild, Larry

    2003-01-01

    Reactive-ion etching (RIE) under conditions described below has been found to be a suitable means for patterning piezoelectric thin films made from such materials as PbZr(1-x)Ti(x)O3 or Ba(x)Sr(1.x)TiO3. In the original application for which this particular RIE process was developed, PbZr(1-x)Ti(x)O3 films 0.5 microns thick are to be sandwiched between Pt electrode layers 0.1 microns thick and Ir electrode layers 0.1 microns thick to form piezoelectric capacitor structures. Such structures are typical of piezoelectric actuators in advanced microelectromechanical systems now under development or planned to be developed in the near future. RIE of PbZr(1-x)Ti(x)O3 is usually considered to involve two major subprocesses: an ion-assisted- etching reaction, and a sputtering subprocess that removes reactive byproducts. RIE is favored over other etching techniques because it offers a potential for a high degree of anisotropy, high-resolution pattern definition, and good process control. However, conventional RIE is not ideal for patterning PbZr(1-x)Ti(x)O3 films at a thickness as great as that in the original intended application. In order to realize the potential benefits mentioned above, it is necessary to optimize process conditions . in particular, the composition of the etching gas and the values of such other process parameters as radio-frequency power, gas pressure, gas-flow rate, and duration of the process. Guidelines for determining optimum conditions can be obtained from experimental determination of etch rates as functions of these parameters. Etch-gas mixtures of BCl3 and Cl2, some also including Ar, have been found to offer a high degree of selectivity as needed for patterning of PbZr(1-x)Ti(x)O3 films on top of Ir electrode layers in thin-film capacitor structures. The selectivity is characterized by a ratio of approx.10:1 (rate of etching PbZr(1-x)Ti(x)O3 divided by rate of etching Ir and IrO(x)). At the time of reporting the information for this article

  2. Piezoelectric stack actuator parameter extraction with hysteresis compensation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zsurzsan, Tiberiu-Gabriel; Mangeot, Charles; Andersen, Michael A. E.

    2014-01-01

    The Piezoelectric Actuator Drive (PAD) is a type of rotary motor that transforms the linear motion of piezoelectric stack actuators into a precise rotational motion. The very high stiffness of the actuators employed make this type of motor suited for open-loop control, but the inherent hysteresis...

  3. Pressure prediction model based on artificial neural network optimized by genetic algorithm and its application in quasi-static calibration of piezoelectric high-pressure sensor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gu, Tingwei; Kong, Deren; Jiang, Jian; Shang, Fei; Chen, Jing

    2016-12-01

    This paper applies back propagation neural network (BPNN) optimized by genetic algorithm (GA) for the prediction of pressure generated by a drop-weight device and the quasi-static calibration of piezoelectric high-pressure sensors for the measurement of propellant powder gas pressure. The method can effectively overcome the slow convergence and local minimum problems of BPNN. Based on test data of quasi-static comparison calibration method, a mathematical model between each parameter of drop-weight device and peak pressure and pulse width was established, through which the practical quasi-static calibration without continuously using expensive reference sensors could be realized. Compared with multiple linear regression method, the GA-BPNN model has higher prediction accuracy and stability. The percentages of prediction error of peak pressure and pulse width are less than 0.7% and 0.3%, respectively.

  4. Hydroelectromechanical modelling of a piezoelectric wave energy converter

    Science.gov (United States)

    Renzi, E.

    2016-11-01

    We investigate the hydroelectromechanical-coupled dynamics of a piezoelectric wave energy converter. The converter is made of a flexible bimorph plate, clamped at its ends and forced to motion by incident ocean surface waves. The piezoceramic layers are connected in series and transform the elastic motion of the plate into useful electricity by means of the piezoelectric effect. By using a distributed-parameter analytical approach, we couple the linear piezoelectric constitutive equations for the plate with the potential-flow equations for the surface water waves. The resulting system of governing partial differential equations yields a new hydroelectromechanical dispersion relation, whose complex roots are determined with a numerical approach. The effect of the piezoelectric coupling in the hydroelastic domain generates a system of short- and long-crested weakly damped progressive waves travelling along the plate. We show that the short-crested flexural wave component gives a dominant contribution to the generated power. We determine the hydroelectromechanical resonant periods of the device, at which the power output is significant.

  5. A sandwiched piezoelectric transducer with flex end-caps for energy harvesting in large force environments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuang, Yang; Daniels, Alice; Zhu, Meiling

    2017-01-01

    This paper presents a sandwiched piezoelectric transducer (SPT) for energy harvesting in large force environments with increased load capacity and electric power output. The SPT uses (1) flex end-caps to amplify the applied load force so as to increase its power output and (2) a sandwiched piezoelectric-substrate structure to reduce the stress concentration in the piezoelectric material so as to increase the load capacity. A coupled piezoelectric-circuit finite element model (CPC-FEM) was developed, which is able to directly predict the electric power output of the SPT connected to a load resistor. The CPC-FEM was used to study the effects of various parameters of the SPT on the performance to obtain an optimal design. These parameters included the substrate thickness, the end-cap material and thickness, the electrode length, the joint length, the end-cap internal angle and the PZT thickness. A prototype with optimised parameters was tested on a loading machine, and the experimental results were compared with simulation. A good agreement was observed between simulation and experiment. When subjected to a 1 kN 2 Hz sinusoidal force applied by the loading machine, the SPT produced an average power of 4.68 mW. The application of the SPT as a footwear energy harvester was demonstrated by fitting the SPT into a boot and performing the tests on a treadmill, and the SPT generated an average power of 2.5 mW at a walking speed of 4.8 km h −1 . (paper)

  6. Fundamentals of piezoelectric sensorics mechanical, dielectric, and thermodynamical properties of piezoelectric materials

    CERN Document Server

    Tichý, Jan; Kittinger, Erwin; Prívratská, Jana; Privatska, Jana; Janovec, Vaclav

    2010-01-01

    This book presents the physics of piezoleletric sensors in a straight-forward and easy-to-grasp way, from the fundamentals of phenomenological crystal physics through more complex concepts, to its explanation of several important piezoelectric materials.

  7. Multidirection Piezoelectricity in Mono- and Multilayered Hexagonal α-In2Se3

    KAUST Repository

    Xue, Fei

    2018-04-25

    Piezoelectric materials have been widely used for sensors, actuators, electronics, and energy conversion. Two-dimensional (2D) ultrathin semiconductors, such as monolayer h-BN and MoS2 with their atom-level geometry, are currently emerging as new and attractive members of the piezoelectric family. However, their piezoelectric polarization is commonly limited to the in-plane direction of odd-number ultrathin layers, largely restricting their application in integrated nanoelectromechanical systems. Recently, theoretical calculations have predicted the existence of out-of-plane and in-plane piezoelectricity in monolayer α-In2Se3. Here, we experimentally report the coexistence of out-of-plane and in-plane piezoelectricity in monolayer to bulk α-In2Se3, attributed to their noncentrosymmetry originating from the hexagonal stacking. Specifically, the corresponding d33 piezoelectric coefficient of α-In2Se3 increases from 0.34 pm/V (monolayer) to 5.6 pm/V (bulk) without any odd-even effect. In addition, we also demonstrate a type of α-In2Se3-based flexible piezoelectric nanogenerator as an energy-harvesting cell and electronic skin. The out-of-plane and in-plane piezoelectricity in α-In2Se3 flakes offers an opportunity to enable both directional and nondirectional piezoelectric devices to be applicable for self-powered systems and adaptive and strain-tunable electronics/optoelectronics.

  8. Relevance of collagen piezoelectricity to "Wolff's Law": a critical review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahn, Andrew C; Grodzinsky, Alan J

    2009-09-01

    According to "Wolff's Law", bone is deposited and reinforced at areas of greatest stress. From a clinical perspective, this "law" is supported by the strong association between bone density and physical activity. From a mechanistic standpoint, however, the law presents a challenge to scientists seeking to understand how osteocytes and osteoblasts sense the mechanical load. In the 1960s, collagen piezoelectricity was invoked as a potential mechanism by which osteocytes could detect areas of greater stress but piezoelectricity diminished in importance as more compelling mechanisms, such as streaming potential, were identified. In addition, accumulating evidence for the role of fluid-related shear stress in osteocyte's mechanosensory function has made piezoelectricity seemingly more obsolete in bone physiology. This review critically evaluates the role of collagen piezoelectricity (if any) in Wolff's Law--specifically, the evidence regarding its involvement in strain-generated potentials, existing alternate mechanisms, the present understanding of bone mechanosensation, and whether piezoelectricity serves an influential role within the context of this newly proposed mechanism. In addition to reviewing the literature, this review generates several hypotheses and proposes future research to fully address the relevance of piezoelectricity in bone physiology.

  9. Piezoelectric antibacterial fabric comprised of poly(l-lactic acid) yarn

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ando, Masamichi; Takeshima, Satoshi; Ishiura, Yutaka; Ando, Kanako; Onishi, Osamu

    2017-10-01

    A lactic acid monomer has an asymmetric carbon in the molecule, so there are optical isomer l- and d-type. The most widely used poly(lactic acid) (PLA) for commercial applications is poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA). PLLA is the polymerization product of l-lactide. Certain treatments of PLLA can yield a film that exhibits shear piezoelectricity. Thus, piezoelectric PLLA fiber can be generated by micro slitting piezoelectric PLLA films or by a melt spinning method. We prepared left-handed helical multi fiber yarn (S-yarn) and right-handed helical yarn (Z-yarn) using piezoelectric PLLA fiber. PLLA exhibited shear mode piezoelectricity, causing the electric polarity of the yarn surface to be reversed on the S-yarn and Z-yarn when tension was applied. An SZ-yarn was produced by combining the S-yarn and Z-yarn, and fabric was prepared using the SZ-yarn. This study demonstrated that the fabric has a strong antibacterial effect, which is thought to be due to the strong electric field between the yarns. The field is generated by a piezoelectric effect when the fabric was extended and contracted.

  10. Optimal Topology and Experimental Evaluation of Piezoelectric Materials for Actively Shunted General Electric Polymer Matrix Fiber Composite Blades

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Benjamin B.; Duffy, Kirsten; Kauffman, Jeffrey L.; Kray, Nicholas

    2012-01-01

    NASA Glenn Research Center, in collaboration with GE Aviation, has begun the development of a smart adaptive structure system with piezoelectric (PE) transducers to improve composite fan blade damping at resonances. Traditional resonant damping approaches may not be realistic for rotating frame applications such as engine blades. The limited space in which the blades reside in the engine makes it impossible to accommodate the circuit size required to implement passive resonant damping. Thus, a novel digital shunt scheme has been developed to replace the conventional electric passive shunt circuits. The digital shunt dissipates strain energy through the load resistor on a power amplifier. General Electric (GE) designed and fabricated a variety of polymer matrix fiber composite (PMFC) test specimens. Investigating the optimal topology of PE sensors and actuators for each test specimen has revealed the best PE transducer location for each target mode. Also a variety of flexible patches, which can conform to the blade surface, have been tested to identify the best performing PE patch. The active damping control achieved significant performance at target modes. This work has been highlighted by successful spin testing up to 5000 rpm of subscale GEnx composite blades in Glenn s Dynamic Spin Rig.

  11. Outer hair cell piezoelectricity: frequency response enhancement and resonance behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weitzel, Erik K; Tasker, Ron; Brownell, William E

    2003-09-01

    Stretching or compressing an outer hair cell alters its membrane potential and, conversely, changing the electrical potential alters its length. This bi-directional energy conversion takes place in the cell's lateral wall and resembles the direct and converse piezoelectric effects both qualitatively and quantitatively. A piezoelectric model of the lateral wall has been developed that is based on the electrical and material parameters of the lateral wall. An equivalent circuit for the outer hair cell that includes piezoelectricity shows a greater admittance at high frequencies than one containing only membrane resistance and capacitance. The model also predicts resonance at ultrasonic frequencies that is inversely proportional to cell length. These features suggest all mammals use outer hair cell piezoelectricity to support the high-frequency receptor potentials that drive electromotility. It is also possible that members of some mammalian orders use outer hair cell piezoelectric resonance in detecting species-specific vocalizations.

  12. Piezoelectric materials mimic the function of the cochlear sensory epithelium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Inaoka, Takatoshi; Shintaku, Hirofumi; Nakagawa, Takayuki; Kawano, Satoyuki; Ogita, Hideaki; Sakamoto, Tatsunori; Hamanishi, Shinji; Wada, Hiroshi; Ito, Juichi

    2011-11-08

    Cochlear hair cells convert sound vibration into electrical potential, and loss of these cells diminishes auditory function. In response to mechanical stimuli, piezoelectric materials generate electricity, suggesting that they could be used in place of hair cells to create an artificial cochlear epithelium. Here, we report that a piezoelectric membrane generated electrical potentials in response to sound stimuli that were able to induce auditory brainstem responses in deafened guinea pigs, indicating its capacity to mimic basilar membrane function. In addition, sound stimuli were transmitted through the external auditory canal to a piezoelectric membrane implanted in the cochlea, inducing it to vibrate. The application of sound to the middle ear ossicle induced voltage output from the implanted piezoelectric membrane. These findings establish the fundamental principles for the development of hearing devices using piezoelectric materials, although there are many problems to be overcome before practical application.

  13. A study of principle and testing of piezoelectric transformer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Weiyue; Wang Yanfang; Huang Yihua; Shi Jun

    2002-01-01

    The operating principle and structure of a kind of piezoelectric transformer which can be used in a particle accelerator are investigated. The properties of piezoelectric transformer are tested through equivalent circuit combined with experiment

  14. Development of a Piezoelectric Rotary Hammer Drill

    Science.gov (United States)

    Domm, Lukas N.

    2011-01-01

    The Piezoelectric Rotary Hammer Drill is designed to core through rock using a combination of rotation and high frequency hammering powered by a single piezoelectric actuator. It is designed as a low axial preload, low mass, and low power device for sample acquisition on future missions to extraterrestrial bodies. The purpose of this internship is to develop and test a prototype of the Piezoelectric Rotary Hammer Drill in order to verify the use of a horn with helical or angled cuts as a hammering and torque inducing mechanism. Through an iterative design process using models in ANSYS Finite Element software and a Mason's Equivalent Circuit model in MATLAB, a horn design was chosen for fabrication based on the predicted horn tip motion, electromechanical coupling, and neutral plane location. The design was then machined and a test bed assembled. The completed prototype has proven that a single piezoelectric actuator can be used to produce both rotation and hammering in a drill string through the use of a torque inducing horn. Final data results include bit rotation produced versus input power, and best drilling rate achieved with the prototype.

  15. Novel Mechano-Luminescent Sensors Based on Piezoelectric/Electroluminescent Composites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yunzhang Fang

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available A high-sensitivity mechano-luminescent sensor was fabricated on the basis of piezoelectric/electroluminescent composites. The working principle of this mechano-luminescent sensor was elucidated by analyzing the relationship between the piezoelectric-induced charges and the electroluminescent effects. When a stress is applied on the piezoelectric layer, electrical charges will be induced at both the top and bottom sides of the piezoelectric layer. The induced electrical charges will lead to a light output from the electroluminescent layer, thus producing a mechano-luminescence effect. By increasing the vibration strength or frequency applied, the mechano-luminescence output can be obviously enhanced. Mechano-luminescence sensors have potential in smart stress-to-light devices, such as foot-stress-distribution-diagnosis systems and dynamic-load-monitors for bridge hanging cables.

  16. Effects of Laser Operating Parameters on Piezoelectric Substrates Micromachining with Picosecond Laser

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lamia EL Fissi

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Ten picoseconds (200 kHz ultrafast laser micro-structuring of piezoelectric substrates including AT-cut quartz, Lithium Niobate and Lithium Tantalate have been studied for the purpose of piezoelectric devices application ranging from surface acoustic wave devices, e.g., bandpass filters, to photonic devices such as optical waveguides and holograms. The study examines the impact of changing several laser parameters on the resulting microstructural shapes and morphology. The micromachining rate has been observed to be strongly dependent on the operating parameters, such as the pulse fluence, the scan speed and the scan number. The results specifically indicate that ablation at low fluence and low speed scan tends to form a U-shaped cross-section, while a V-shaped profile can be obtained by using a high fluence and a high scan speed. The evolution of surface morphology revealed that laser pulses overlap in a range around 93% for both Lithium Niobate (LiNbO3 and Lithium Tantalate (LiTaO3 and 98% for AT-cut quartz can help to achieve optimal residual surface roughness.

  17. Design and implementation of a versatile and variable-frequency piezoelectric coefficient measurement system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, J S; Huang, Y K; Wu, F L; Lin, D Y

    2012-08-01

    We present a simple but versatile piezoelectric coefficient measurement system, which can measure the longitudinal and transverse piezoelectric coefficients in the pressing and bending modes, respectively, at different applied forces and a wide range of frequencies. The functionality of this measurement system has been demonstrated on three samples, including a PbZr(0.52)Ti(0.48)O(3) (PZT) piezoelectric ceramic bulk, a ZnO thin film, and a laminated piezoelectric film sensor. The static longitudinal piezoelectric coefficients of the PZT bulk and the ZnO film are estimated to be around 210 and 8.1 pC/N, respectively. The static transverse piezoelectric coefficients of the ZnO film and the piezoelectric film sensor are determined to be, respectively, -0.284 and -0.031 C/m(2).

  18. Modeling and analysis of circular flexural-vibration-mode piezoelectric transformer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Yihua; Huang, Wei

    2010-12-01

    We propose a circular flexural-vibration-mode piezoelectric transformer and perform a theoretical analysis of the transformer. An equivalent circuit is derived from the equations of piezoelectricity and the Hamilton's principle. With this equivalent circuit, the voltage gain ratio, input impedance, and the efficiency of the circular flexural-vibration-mode piezoelectric transformer can be determined. The basic behavior of the transformer is shown by numerical results.

  19. Segmentation of a Vibro-Shock Cantilever-Type Piezoelectric Energy Harvester Operating in Higher Transverse Vibration Modes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Darius Zizys

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The piezoelectric transduction mechanism is a common vibration-to-electric energy harvesting approach. Piezoelectric energy harvesters are typically mounted on a vibrating host structure, whereby alternating voltage output is generated by a dynamic strain field. A design target in this case is to match the natural frequency of the harvester to the ambient excitation frequency for the device to operate in resonance mode, thus significantly increasing vibration amplitudes and, as a result, energy output. Other fundamental vibration modes have strain nodes, where the dynamic strain field changes sign in the direction of the cantilever length. The paper reports on a dimensionless numerical transient analysis of a cantilever of a constant cross-section and an optimally-shaped cantilever with the objective to accurately predict the position of a strain node. Total effective strain produced by both cantilevers segmented at the strain node is calculated via transient analysis and compared to the strain output produced by the cantilevers segmented at strain nodes obtained from modal analysis, demonstrating a 7% increase in energy output. Theoretical results were experimentally verified by using open-circuit voltage values measured for the cantilevers segmented at optimal and suboptimal segmentation lines.

  20. Magnetocaloric piezoelectric composites for energy harvesting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cleveland, Michael; Liang, Hong

    2012-01-01

    Magnetocaloric alloy, Gd 5 Si 2 Ge 2 , was developed into a composite with the poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) piezoelectric polymer. This multifunctional material possesses unique properties that are suitable for energy conversion and harvesting. Experimental approaches include using an arc melting technique to synthesize the Gd 5 Si 2 Ge 2 (GSG) alloy and the spinning casting method to fabricate the composite. The materials were characterized using various techniques at different length scales. These include atomic force microscopy (AFM), optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results indicated that the phase transformation of the magnetocaloric material close to its Curie temperature induced a significant increase in power generation in the piezoelectric polymer. The power output of a laminated structure was 1.1 mW, more than 200 thousand times higher than the piezoelectric materials alone (5.1 nW). (technical note)

  1. New technique for fabrication of high frequency piezoelectric Micromachined Ultrasound Transducers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, T; Thomsen, Erik Vilain; Zawada, T

    2008-01-01

    A novel technique for fabrication of linear arrays of high frequency piezoelectric Micromachined Ultrasound Transducers (pMUT) on silicon substrates is presented. Piezoelectric elements are formed by deposition of PZT ((PbZrxTi1-x)O3) into etched features of the silicon substrate such that the de......A novel technique for fabrication of linear arrays of high frequency piezoelectric Micromachined Ultrasound Transducers (pMUT) on silicon substrates is presented. Piezoelectric elements are formed by deposition of PZT ((PbZrxTi1-x)O3) into etched features of the silicon substrate...

  2. LEAD-FREE BNKT PIEZOELECTRIC ACTUATOR

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Moosavi

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available An actuator is a device that converts input energy into mechanical energy. According to various types of input energy, various actuators have been advanced. Displacement in the electromagnetic, hydraulic and pneumatic actuators achieve by moving a piston via electromagnetic force or pressure, however the piezoelectric actuator (piezoceramic plates displace directly. Therefore, accuracy and speed in the piezoelectric device are higher than other types of actuators. In the present work, the high-field electromechanical response of high-quality (1−x(Bi 0.5Na0.5TiO3–x(Bi0.5K0.5TiO3 samples abbreviated to BNKTx with x = 0.18, 0.20, 0.22 and 0.24 ceramic materials across its MPB was investigated. The piezoelectrics and actuation characteristics were characterized. Ourresults indicate that x = 0.20, indeed, constitutes the best choice for the MPB composition in the system. Maximum of remanent polarization (37.5 μC cm−2 was obtained for x=0.20. High-field electromechanical responses were also obtained for BNKT0.20 samples. This material exhibited giant field induced strains of 0.13% under 1 kV mm -1 at room temperature.

  3. Fabrication of flexible piezoelectric PZT/fabric composite.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Caifeng; Hong, Daiwei; Wang, Andong; Ni, Chaoying

    2013-01-01

    Flexible piezoelectric PZT/fabric composite material is pliable and tough in nature which is in a lack of traditional PZT patches. It has great application prospect in improving the sensitivity of sensor/actuator made by piezoelectric materials especially when they are used for curved surfaces or complicated conditions. In this paper, glass fiber cloth was adopted as carrier to grow PZT piezoelectric crystal particles by hydrothermal method, and the optimum conditions were studied. The results showed that the soft glass fiber cloth was an ideal kind of carrier. A large number of cubic-shaped PZT nanocrystallines grew firmly in the carrier with a dense and uniform distribution. The best hydrothermal condition was found to be pH 13, reaction time 24 h, and reaction temperature 200°C.

  4. Loss Factor Characterization Methodology for Piezoelectric Ceramics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhuang Yuan; Ural, Seyit O; Uchino, Kenji

    2011-01-01

    The key factor for the miniaturization of piezoelectric devices is power density, which is limited by the heat generation or loss mechanisms. There are three loss components for piezoelectric vibrators, i.e., dielectric, elastic and piezoelectric losses. The mechanical quality factor, determined by these three factors, is the figure of merit in the sense of loss or heat generation. In this paper, quality factors of resonance and antiresonance for k 31 , k 33 , and k 15 vibration modes are derived, and the methodology to determine loss factors in various directions is provided. For simplicity, we focus on materials with ∞mm (equivalent to 6mm) crystal symmetry for deriving the loss factors of polycrystalline ceramics, and 16 different loss factors among total 20 can be obtained from the admittance/ impedance measurements.

  5. Characterization of Piezoelectric Actuators for Flow Control over a Wing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mossi, Karla M.; Bryant, Robert G.

    2004-01-01

    During the past decade, piezoelectric actuators as the active element in synthetic jets demonstrated that they could significantly enhance the overall lift on an airfoil. However, durability, system weight, size, and power have limited their use outside a laboratory. These problems are not trivial, since piezoelectric actuators are physically brittle and display limited displacement. The objective of this study is to characterize the relevant properties for the design of a synthetic jet utilizing three types of piezoelectric actuators as mechanical diaphragms, Radial Field Diaphragms, Thunders, and Bimorphs so that the shape cavity volume does not exceed 147.5 cubic centimeters on a 7centimeter x 7centimeter aerial coverage. These piezoelectric elements were selected because of their geometry, and overall free-displacement. Each actuator was affixed about its perimeter in a cavity, and relevant parameters such as clamped displacement variations with voltage and frequency, air velocities produced through an aperture, and sound pressure levels produced by the piezoelectric diaphragms were measured.

  6. Enhanced piezoelectric effect at the edges of stepped molybdenum disulfide nanosheets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Xiaoxue; Hui, Fei; Gilmore, Keith; Wang, Bingru; Jing, Guangyin; Fan, Zhongchao; Grustan-Gutierrez, Enric; Shi, Yuanyuan; Lombardi, Lucia; Hodge, Stephen A; Ferrari, Andrea C; Lanza, Mario

    2017-05-18

    The development of piezoelectric layered materials may be one of the key elements enabling expansion of nanotechnology, as they offer a solution for the construction of efficient transducers for a wide range of applications, including self-powered devices. Here, we investigate the piezoelectric effect in multilayer (ML) stepped MoS 2 flakes obtained by liquid-phase exfoliation, which is especially interesting because it may allow the scalable fabrication of electronic devices using large area deposition techniques (e.g. solution casting, spray coating, inkjet printing). By using a conductive atomic force microscope we map the piezoelectricity of the MoS 2 flakes at the nanoscale. Our experiments demonstrate the presence of electrical current densities above 100 A cm -2 when the flakes are strained in the absence of bias, and the current increases proportional to the bias. Simultaneously collected topographic and current maps demonstrate that the edges of stepped ML MoS 2 flakes promote the piezoelectric effect, where the largest currents are observed. Density functional theory calculations are consistent with the ring-like piezoelectric potential generated when the flakes are strained, as well as the enhanced piezoelectric effect at edges. Our results pave the way to the design of piezoelectric devices using layered materials.

  7. Three-dimensional piezoelectric fibrous scaffolds selectively promote mesenchymal stem cell differentiation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Damaraju, Sita M; Shen, Yueyang; Elele, Ezinwa; Khusid, Boris; Eshghinejad, Ahmad; Li, Jiangyu; Jaffe, Michael; Arinzeh, Treena Livingston

    2017-12-01

    The discovery of electric fields in biological tissues has led to efforts in developing technologies utilizing electrical stimulation for therapeutic applications. Native tissues, such as cartilage and bone, exhibit piezoelectric behavior, wherein electrical activity can be generated due to mechanical deformation. Yet, the use of piezoelectric materials have largely been unexplored as a potential strategy in tissue engineering, wherein a piezoelectric biomaterial acts as a scaffold to promote cell behavior and the formation of large tissues. Here we show, for the first time, that piezoelectric materials can be fabricated into flexible, three-dimensional fibrous scaffolds and can be used to stimulate human mesenchymal stem cell differentiation and corresponding extracellular matrix/tissue formation in physiological loading conditions. Piezoelectric scaffolds that exhibit low voltage output, or streaming potential, promoted chondrogenic differentiation and piezoelectric scaffolds with a high voltage output promoted osteogenic differentiation. Electromechanical stimulus promoted greater differentiation than mechanical loading alone. Results demonstrate the additive effect of electromechanical stimulus on stem cell differentiation, which is an important design consideration for tissue engineering scaffolds. Piezoelectric, smart materials are attractive as scaffolds for regenerative medicine strategies due to their inherent electrical properties without the need for external power sources for electrical stimulation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Piezoelectric Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) Ring Shaped Contour-Mode MEMS Resonators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kasambe, P. V.; Asgaonkar, V. V.; Bangera, A. D.; Lokre, A. S.; Rathod, S. S.; Bhoir, D. V.

    2018-02-01

    Flexibility in setting fundamental frequency of resonator independent of its motional resistance is one of the desired criteria in micro-electromechanical (MEMS) resonator design. It is observed that ring-shaped piezoelectric contour-mode MEMS resonators satisfy this design criterion than in case of rectangular plate MEMS resonators. Also ring-shaped contour-mode piezoelectric MEMS resonator has an advantage that its fundamental frequency is defined by in-plane dimensions, but they show variation of fundamental frequency with different Platinum (Pt) thickness referred as change in ratio of fNEW /fO . This paper presents the effects of variation in geometrical parameters and change in piezoelectric material on the resonant frequencies of Platinum piezoelectric-Aluminium ring-shaped contour-mode MEMS resonators and its electrical parameters. The proposed structure with Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) as the piezoelectric material was observed to be a piezoelectric material with minimal change in fundamental resonant frequency due to Platinum thickness variation. This structure was also found to exhibit extremely low motional resistance of 0.03 Ω as compared to the 31-35 Ω range obtained when using AlN as the piezoelectric material. CoventorWare 10 is used for the design, simulation and corresponding analysis of resonators which is Finite Element Method (FEM) analysis and design tool for MEMS devices.

  9. Monitoring of bone healing by piezoelectric-EMI method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mazlina, M. H.; Sarpinah, Bibi; Tawie, Rudy; Daho, Claira Dalislone; Annuar, Ishak

    2016-02-01

    Smart Piezoelectric devices which have excellent piezoelectric properties have been employed for various sensor and actuators applications. The work presented here is an attempt to demonstrate the feasibility of bone healing monitoring by using piezoelectric-electromechanical impedance (EMI) method that have several advantages such as low cost, portable, light weight and simplicity in measurement. A Piezoelectric sensor (PZT) has been widely used in damage detection of various structures including concrete, pipes and bones due to their unique sensing and actuating properties. The EMI technique has emerged as a universal Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) tool suitable for almost all engineering materials and structures. The method used for this proposed study consists of put healing agent in the host structure in particular cracks bone to be monitored by PZT-needle sensor which is embedded to the host structure. The measurements were taken in the frequency range between 0.04 to 100 kHz at 1 kHz interval using AD5933 evaluation board. The signals retrieved from the AD5933 evaluation board, were quantify and analyse to obtain Root Mean Square Deviation (RMSD) percentage value. Measurements were taken every hour for 12 hours. The result from the study shows the feasibility of the piezoelectric-EMI method to effectively detect changes during bone-cracks healing process until the cracks bone is fully recovered.

  10. Fuzzy PID Feedback Control of Piezoelectric Actuator with Feedforward Compensation

    OpenAIRE

    Ziqiang Chi; Minping Jia; Qingsong Xu

    2014-01-01

    Piezoelectric actuator is widely used in the field of micro/nanopositioning. However, piezoelectric hysteresis introduces nonlinearity to the system, which is the major obstacle to achieve a precise positioning. In this paper, the Preisach model is employed to describe the hysteresis characteristic of piezoelectric actuator and an inverse Preisach model is developed to construct a feedforward controller. Considering that the analytical expression of inverse Preisach model is difficult to deri...

  11. Vibration energy harvesting based on integrated piezoelectric components operating in different modes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Junhui; Jong, Januar; Zhao, Chunsheng

    2010-01-01

    To increase the vibration energy-harvesting capability of the piezoelectric generator based on a cantilever beam, we have proposed a piezoelectric generator that not only uses the strain change of piezoelectric components bonded on a cantilever beam, but also employs the weights at the tip of the cantilever beam to hit piezoelectric components located on the 2 sides of weights. A prototype of the piezoelectric generator has been fabricated and its characteristics have been measured and analyzed. The experimental results show that the piezoelectric components operating in the hit mode can substantially enhance the energy harvesting of the piezoelectric generator on a cantilever beam. Two methods are used and compared in the management of rectified output voltages from different groups of piezoelectric components. In one of them, the DC voltages from rectifiers are connected in series, and then the total DC voltage is applied to a capacitor. In another connection, the DC voltage from each group is applied to different capacitors. It is found that 22.3% of the harvested energy is wasted due to the series connection. The total output electric energy of our piezoelectric generator at nonresonance could be up to 43 nJ for one vibration excitation applied by spring, with initial vibration amplitude (0-p) of 18 mm and frequency of 18.5 Hz, when the rectified voltages from different groups of piezoelectric components are connected to their individual capacitors. In addition, the motion and impact of the weights at the tip of the cantilever beam are theoretically analyzed, which well explains the experimental phenomena and suggests the measures to improve the generator.

  12. Piezoelectric materials as stimulatory biomedical materials and scaffolds for bone repair.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tandon, Biranche; Blaker, Jonny J; Cartmell, Sarah H

    2018-04-16

    The process of bone repair and regeneration requires multiple physiological cues including biochemical, electrical and mechanical - that act together to ensure functional recovery. Myriad materials have been explored as bioactive scaffolds to deliver these cues locally to the damage site, amongst these piezoelectric materials have demonstrated significant potential for tissue engineering and regeneration, especially for bone repair. Piezoelectric materials have been widely explored for power generation and harvesting, structural health monitoring, and use in biomedical devices. They have the ability to deform with physiological movements and consequently deliver electrical stimulation to cells or damaged tissue without the need of an external power source. Bone itself is piezoelectric and the charges/potentials it generates in response to mechanical activity are capable of enhancing bone growth. Piezoelectric materials are capable of stimulating the physiological electrical microenvironment, and can play a vital role to stimulate regeneration and repair. This review gives an overview of the association of piezoelectric effect with bone repair, and focuses on state-of-the-art piezoelectric materials (polymers, ceramics and their composites), the fabrication routes to produce piezoelectric scaffolds, and their application in bone repair. Important characteristics of these materials from the perspective of bone tissue engineering are highlighted. Promising upcoming strategies and new piezoelectric materials for this application are presented. Electrical stimulation/electrical microenvironment are known effect the process of bone regeneration by altering the cellular response and are crucial in maintaining tissue functionality. Piezoelectric materials, owing to their capability of generating charges/potentials in response to mechanical deformations, have displayed great potential for fabricating smart stimulatory scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. The growing

  13. Propagation of extensional waves in a piezoelectric semiconductor rod

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C.L. Zhang

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available We studied the propagation of extensional waves in a thin piezoelectric semiconductor rod of ZnO whose c-axis is along the axis of the rod. The macroscopic theory of piezoelectric semiconductors was used which consists of the coupled equations of piezoelectricity and the conservation of charge. The problem is nonlinear because the drift current is the product of the unknown electric field and the unknown carrier density. A perturbation procedure was used which resulted in two one-way coupled linear problems of piezoelectricity and the conservation of charge, respectively. The acoustic wave and the accompanying electric field were obtained from the equations of piezoelectricity. The motion of carriers was then determined from the conservation of charge using a trigonometric series. It was found that while the acoustic wave was approximated by a sinusoidal wave, the motion of carriers deviates from a sinusoidal wave qualitatively because of the contributions of higher harmonics arising from the originally nonlinear terms. The wave crests become higher and sharper while the troughs are shallower and wider. This deviation is more pronounced for acoustic waves with larger amplitudes.

  14. Auxetic piezoelectric energy harvesters for increased electric power output

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qiang Li

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This letter presents a piezoelectric bimorph with auxetic (negative Poisson’s ratio behaviors for increased power output in vibration energy harvesting. The piezoelectric bimorph comprises a 2D auxetic substrate sandwiched between two piezoelectric layers. The auxetic substrate is capable of introducing auxetic behaviors and thus increasing the transverse stress in the piezoelectric layers when the bimorph is subjected to a longitudinal stretching load. As a result, both 31- and 32-modes are simultaneously exploited to generate electric power, leading to an increased power output. The increasing power output principle was theoretically analyzed and verified by finite element (FE modelling. The FE modelling results showed that the auxetic substrate can increase the transverse stress of a bimorph by 16.7 times. The average power generated by the auxetic bimorph is 2.76 times of that generated by a conventional bimorph.

  15. Investigating the Electromechanical Coupling in Piezoelectric Actuator Drive Motor Under Heavy Load

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zsurzsan, Tiberiu-Gabriel; Andersen, Michael A. E.; Zhang, Zhe

    2014-01-01

    The Piezoelectric Actuator Drive (PAD) is an accurate, high-torque rotary piezoelectric motor that employs piezoelectric stack actuators and inverse hypocycloidal motion to generate rotation. Important factors that determine motor performance are the proper concentric alignment between the motor...

  16. MEMS Accelerometer with Screen Printed Piezoelectric Thick Film

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hindrichsen, Christian Carstensen; Lau-Moeller, R.; Bove, T.

    2006-01-01

    A bulk-micromachined piezoelectric MEMS accelerometer with screen printed piezoelectric Pb(ZrxTil )O3(PZT) thick film (TF) as the sensing material has been fabricated and characterized. The accelerometer has a four beam structure with a central seismic mass (3600x3600x500 pm3) and a total chip size...

  17. Nonlinear piezoelectricity in epitaxial ferroelectrics at high electric fields.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grigoriev, Alexei; Sichel, Rebecca; Lee, Ho Nyung; Landahl, Eric C; Adams, Bernhard; Dufresne, Eric M; Evans, Paul G

    2008-01-18

    Nonlinear effects in the coupling of polarization with elastic strain have been predicted to occur in ferroelectric materials subjected to high electric fields. Such predictions are tested here for a PbZr0.2Ti0.8O3 ferroelectric thin film at electric fields in the range of several hundred MV/m and strains reaching up to 2.7%. The piezoelectric strain exceeds predictions based on constant piezoelectric coefficients at electric fields from approximately 200 to 400 MV/m, which is consistent with a nonlinear effect predicted to occur at corresponding piezoelectric distortions.

  18. Piezoelectric motor development at AlliedSignal Inc., Kansas City Division

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pressly, Robert B.; Mentesana, Charles P.

    1994-11-01

    The Kansas City Division of AlliedSignal Inc. has been investigating the fabrication and use of piezoelectric motors in mechanisms for United States Department of Energy (DOE) weapons applications for about four years. These motors exhibit advantages over solenoids and other electromagnetic actuators. Prototype processes have been developed for complete fabrication of motors from stock materials, including abrasive machining of piezoelectric ceramics and more traditional machining of other motor components, electrode plating and sputtering, electric poling, cleaning, bonding and assembly. Drive circuits have been fabricated and motor controls are being developed. Laboratory facilities have been established for electrical/mechanical testing and evaluation of piezo materials and completed motors. Recent project efforts have focused on the potential of piezoelectric devices for commercial and industrial use. A broad range of various motor types and application areas has been identified, primarily in Japan. The Japanese have been developing piezo motors for many years and have more recently begun commercialization. Piezoelectric motor and actuator technology is emerging in the United States and quickly gaining in commercial interest. The Kansas City Division is continuing development of piezoelectric motors and actuators for defense applications while supporting and participating in the commercialization of piezoelectric devices with private industry through various technology transfer and cooperative development initiatives.

  19. Energy harvesting from radio frequency propagation using piezoelectric cantilevers

    KAUST Repository

    Al Ahmad, Mahmoud; Alshareef, Husam N.

    2012-01-01

    This work reports an induced strain in a piezoelectric cantilever due to radio frequency signal propagation. The piezoelectric actuator is coupled to radio frequency (RF) line through a gap of 0.25 mm. When a voltage signal of 10 Vpp propagates

  20. Using Piezoelectric Devices to Transmit Power through Walls

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sherrit, Stewart; Bar-Cohen, Yoseph; Bao, Xiaoqi

    2008-01-01

    A method denoted wireless acoustic-electric feed-through (WAEF) has been conceived for transmitting power and/or data signals through walls or other solid objects made of a variety of elastic materials that could be electrically conductive or nonconductive. WAEF would make it unnecessary to use wires, optical fibers, tubes, or other discrete wall-penetrating signal-transmitting components, thereby eliminating the potential for structural weakening or leakage at such penetrations. Avoidance of such penetrations could be essential in some applications in which maintenance of pressure, vacuum, or chemical or biological isolation is required. In a basic WAEF setup, a transmitting piezoelectric transducer on one side of a wall would be driven at resonance to excite ultrasonic vibrations in the wall. A receiving piezoelectric transducer on the opposite side of the wall would convert the vibrations back to an ultrasonic AC electric signal, which would then be detected and otherwise processed in a manner that would depend on the modulation (if any) applied to the signal and whether the signal was used to transmit power, data, or both. An electromechanical-network model has been derived as a computationally efficient means of analyzing and designing a WAEF system. This model is a variant of a prior model, known in the piezoelectric-transducer art as Mason's equivalent-circuit model, in which the electrical and mechanical dynamics, including electromechanical couplings, are expressed as electrical circuit elements that can include inductors, capacitors, and lumped-parameter complex impedances. The real parts of the complex impedances are used to account for dielectric, mechanical, and coupling losses in all components (including all piezoelectric-transducer, wall, and intermediate material layers). In an application to a three-layer piezoelectric structure, this model was shown to yield the same results as do solutions of the wave equations of piezoelectricity and acoustic

  1. Simulation Study on Material Property of Cantilever Piezoelectric Vibration Generator

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yan Zhen

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available For increasing generating capacity of cantilever piezoelectric vibration generator with limited volume, relation between output voltage, inherent frequency and material parameter of unimorph, bimorph in series type and bimorph in parallel type piezoelectric vibration generator is analyzed respectively by mechanical model and finite element modeling. The results indicate PZT-4, PZT- 5A and PZT-5H piezoelectric materials and stainless steel, nickel alloy substrate material should be firstly chosen.

  2. Diaphragm Pump With Resonant Piezoelectric Drive

    Science.gov (United States)

    Izenson, Michael G.; Kline-Schoder, Robert J.; Shimko, Martin A.

    2007-01-01

    A diaphragm pump driven by a piezoelectric actuator is undergoing development. This pump is intended to be a prototype of lightweight, highly reliable pumps for circulating cooling liquids in protective garments and high-power electronic circuits, and perhaps for some medical applications. The pump would be highly reliable because it would contain no sliding seals or bearings that could wear, the only parts subject to wear would be two check valves, and the diaphragm and other flexing parts could be designed, by use of proven methods, for extremely long life. Because the pump would be capable of a large volumetric flow rate and would have only a small dead volume, its operation would not be disrupted by ingestion of gas, and it could be started reliably under all conditions. The prior art includes a number piezoelectrically actuated diaphragm pumps. Because of the smallness of the motions of piezoelectric actuators (typical maximum strains only about 0.001), the volumetric flow rates of those pumps are much too small for typical cooling applications. In the pump now undergoing development, mechanical resonance would be utilized to amplify the motion generated by the piezoelectric actuator and thereby multiply the volumetric flow rate. The prime mover in this pump would be a stack of piezoelectric ceramic actuators, one end of which would be connected to a spring that would be part of a spring-and-mass resonator structure. The mass part of the resonator structure would include the pump diaphragm (see Figure 1). Contraction of the spring would draw the diaphragm to the left, causing the volume of the fluid chamber to increase and thereby causing fluid to flow into the chamber. Subsequent expansion of the spring would push the diaphragm to the right, causing the volume of the fluid chamber to decrease, and thereby expelling fluid from the chamber. The fluid would enter and leave the chamber through check valves. The piezoelectric stack would be driven electrically to

  3. Piezoelectric Polymer Ultrasound Transducers and Its Biomedical Applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ha, Kang Lyeol; Cao, Yanggang [Department of Physics, Pukyong National University, Busan (Korea, Republic of)

    2012-10-15

    PVDF(poly vinylidene fluoride) and P(VDF-TrFE)(poly vinylidene fluoride-tetrafluoroethylene) are the typical piezoelectric polymers with unique properties. Even they are inferior to conventional piezoelectric ceramics PZT in electromechanical conversion efficiency and interior loss, though they are superior in receiving sensitivity and frequency bandwidth. Their acoustic impedances are relatively close to water or biological tissue and it is easier to make thin film than other piezoelectric materials. Furthermore, the film is so flexible that it is easy to attach on a complex surface. Those properties are suitable for the ultrasound transducers which are useful for medical and biological application, so that various types of polymer transducers have been developed. In this paper, several important considerations for design and fabrication of piezoelectric polymer transducers were described and their effect on the transducer performance were demonstrated through the KLM model analysis. Then, it was briefly reviewed about the structures of the polymer transducers developed for obtaining images as well as the characteristics of the images in several important medical and biological application fields.

  4. Wind energy harvesting with a piezoelectric harvester

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu, Nan; Wang, Quan; Xie, Xiangdong

    2013-01-01

    An energy harvester comprising a cantilever attached to piezoelectric patches and a proof mass is developed for wind energy harvesting, from a cross wind-induced vibration of the cantilever, by the electromechanical coupling effect of piezoelectric materials. The vibration of the cantilever under the cross wind is induced by the air pressure owing to a vortex shedding phenomenon that occurs on the leeward side of the cantilever. To describe the energy harvesting process, a theoretical model considering the cross wind-induced vibration on the piezoelectric coupled cantilever energy harvester is developed, to calculate the charge and the voltage from the harvester. The influences of the length and location of the piezoelectric patches as well as the proof mass on the generated electric power are investigated. Results show that the total generated electric power can be as high as 2 W when the resonant frequency of the cantilever harvester is close to the vortex shedding frequency. Moreover, a value of total generated electric power up to 1.02 W can be practically realized for a cross wind with a variable wind velocity of 9–10 m s −1 by a harvester with a length of 1.2 m. This research facilitates an effective and compact wind energy harvesting device. (paper)

  5. A mechatronic power boosting design for piezoelectric generators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Haili; Liang, Junrui; Ge, Cong

    2015-01-01

    It was shown that the piezoelectric power generation can be boosted by using the synchronized switch power conditioning circuits. This letter reports a self-powered and self-sensing mechatronic design in substitute of the auxiliary electronics towards a compact and universal synchronized switch solution. The design criteria are derived based on the conceptual waveforms and a two-degree-of-freedom analytical model. Experimental result shows that, compared to the standard bridge rectifier interface, the mechatronic design leads to an extra 111% increase of generated power from the prototyped piezoelectric generator under the same deflection magnitude excitation. The proposed design has introduced a valuable physical insight of electromechanical synergy towards the improvement of piezoelectric power generation

  6. A mechatronic power boosting design for piezoelectric generators

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Haili; Liang, Junrui, E-mail: liangjr@shanghaitech.edu.cn; Ge, Cong [School of Information Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, No. 8 Building, 319 Yueyang Road, Shanghai 200031 (China)

    2015-10-05

    It was shown that the piezoelectric power generation can be boosted by using the synchronized switch power conditioning circuits. This letter reports a self-powered and self-sensing mechatronic design in substitute of the auxiliary electronics towards a compact and universal synchronized switch solution. The design criteria are derived based on the conceptual waveforms and a two-degree-of-freedom analytical model. Experimental result shows that, compared to the standard bridge rectifier interface, the mechatronic design leads to an extra 111% increase of generated power from the prototyped piezoelectric generator under the same deflection magnitude excitation. The proposed design has introduced a valuable physical insight of electromechanical synergy towards the improvement of piezoelectric power generation.

  7. Surface effects on the electroelastic responses of a thin piezoelectric plate with nanoscale thickness

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yan Zhi; Jiang Liying

    2012-01-01

    This work aims to investigate the electroelastic responses of a thin piezoelectric plate under mechanical and electrical loads with the consideration of surface effects. Surface effects, including surface elasticity, residual surface stress and surface piezoelectricity, are incorporated into the conventional Kirchhoff plate theory for a piezoelectric plate via the surface piezoelectricity model and the generalized Young-Laplace equations. Different from the results predicted by the conventional plate theory ignoring the surface effects, the proposed model predicts size-dependent behaviours of the piezoelectric thin plate with nanoscale thickness. It is found that surface effects have significant influence on the electroelastic responses of the piezoelectric nanoplate. This work is expected to provide more accurate predictions on characterizing nanofilm or nanoribbon based piezoelectric devices in nanoelectromechanical systems. (paper)

  8. Subatomic deformation driven by vertical piezoelectricity from CdS ultrathin films.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xuewen; He, Xuexia; Zhu, Hongfei; Sun, Linfeng; Fu, Wei; Wang, Xingli; Hoong, Lai Chee; Wang, Hong; Zeng, Qingsheng; Zhao, Wu; Wei, Jun; Jin, Zhong; Shen, Zexiang; Liu, Jie; Zhang, Ting; Liu, Zheng

    2016-07-01

    Driven by the development of high-performance piezoelectric materials, actuators become an important tool for positioning objects with high accuracy down to nanometer scale, and have been used for a wide variety of equipment, such as atomic force microscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy. However, positioning at the subatomic scale is still a great challenge. Ultrathin piezoelectric materials may pave the way to positioning an object with extreme precision. Using ultrathin CdS thin films, we demonstrate vertical piezoelectricity in atomic scale (three to five space lattices). With an in situ scanning Kelvin force microscopy and single and dual ac resonance tracking piezoelectric force microscopy, the vertical piezoelectric coefficient (d 33) up to 33 pm·V(-1) was determined for the CdS ultrathin films. These findings shed light on the design of next-generation sensors and microelectromechanical devices.

  9. Evaluation of optical functional surfaces on the injection moulding insert by micro milling process

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Li, Dongya; Davoudinejad, Ali; Zhang, Yang

    2017-01-01

    This study presents the optimization of micro milling process for manufacturing injection moulding inserts with an optical functionalsurface. The objective is the optimal surface functionality. Micro ridges were used as the microstructures to realize the function to generate contrast between...

  10. Finite element modeling of electrically rectified piezoelectric energy harvesters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu, P H; Shu, Y C

    2015-01-01

    Finite element models are developed for designing electrically rectified piezoelectric energy harvesters. They account for the consideration of common interface circuits such as the standard and parallel-/series-SSHI (synchronized switch harvesting on inductor) circuits, as well as complicated structural configurations such as arrays of piezoelectric oscillators. The idea is to replace the energy harvesting circuit by the proposed equivalent load impedance together with the capacitance of negative value. As a result, the proposed framework is capable of being implemented into conventional finite element solvers for direct system-level design without resorting to circuit simulators. The validation based on COMSOL simulations carried out for various interface circuits by the comparison with the standard modal analysis model. The framework is then applied to the investigation on how harvested power is reduced due to fabrication deviations in geometric and material properties of oscillators in an array system. Remarkably, it is found that for a standard array system with strong electromechanical coupling, the drop in peak power turns out to be insignificant if the optimal load is carefully chosen. The second application is to design broadband energy harvesting by developing array systems with suitable interface circuits. The result shows that significant broadband is observed for the parallel (series) connection of oscillators endowed with the parallel-SSHI (series-SSHI) circuit technique. (paper)

  11. Finite element modeling of electrically rectified piezoelectric energy harvesters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, P. H.; Shu, Y. C.

    2015-09-01

    Finite element models are developed for designing electrically rectified piezoelectric energy harvesters. They account for the consideration of common interface circuits such as the standard and parallel-/series-SSHI (synchronized switch harvesting on inductor) circuits, as well as complicated structural configurations such as arrays of piezoelectric oscillators. The idea is to replace the energy harvesting circuit by the proposed equivalent load impedance together with the capacitance of negative value. As a result, the proposed framework is capable of being implemented into conventional finite element solvers for direct system-level design without resorting to circuit simulators. The validation based on COMSOL simulations carried out for various interface circuits by the comparison with the standard modal analysis model. The framework is then applied to the investigation on how harvested power is reduced due to fabrication deviations in geometric and material properties of oscillators in an array system. Remarkably, it is found that for a standard array system with strong electromechanical coupling, the drop in peak power turns out to be insignificant if the optimal load is carefully chosen. The second application is to design broadband energy harvesting by developing array systems with suitable interface circuits. The result shows that significant broadband is observed for the parallel (series) connection of oscillators endowed with the parallel-SSHI (series-SSHI) circuit technique.

  12. A new smart traffic monitoring method using embedded cement-based piezoelectric sensors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Jinrui; Lu, Youyuan; Lu, Zeyu; Liu, Chao; Sun, Guoxing; Li, Zongjin

    2015-01-01

    Cement-based piezoelectric composites are employed as the sensing elements of a new smart traffic monitoring system. The piezoelectricity of the cement-based piezoelectric sensors enables powerful and accurate real-time detection of the pressure induced by the traffic flow. To describe the mechanical-electrical conversion mechanism between traffic flow and the electrical output of the embedded piezoelectric sensors, a mathematical model is established based on Duhamel’s integral, the constitutive law and the charge-leakage characteristics of the piezoelectric composite. Laboratory tests show that the voltage magnitude of the sensor is linearly proportional to the applied pressure, which ensures the reliability of the cement-based piezoelectric sensors for traffic monitoring. A series of on-site road tests by a 10 tonne truck and a 6.8 tonne van show that vehicle weight-in-motion can be predicted based on the mechanical-electrical model by taking into account the vehicle speed and the charge-leakage property of the piezoelectric sensor. In the speed range from 20 km h −1 to 70 km h −1 , the error of the repeated weigh-in-motion measurements of the 6.8 tonne van is less than 1 tonne. The results indicate that the embedded cement-based piezoelectric sensors and associated measurement setup have good capability of smart traffic monitoring, such as traffic flow detection, vehicle speed detection and weigh-in-motion measurement. (paper)

  13. Iterative Learning Control of Hysteresis in Piezoelectric Actuators

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guilin Zhang

    2014-01-01

    input in hysteretic systems. In the analysis, the Prandtl-Ishlinskii model is utilized to capture the nonlinear behavior in piezoelectric actuators. Finally, we apply the control algorithm to an experimental piezoelectric actuator and conclude that the tracking error is reduced to 0.15% of the total displacement, which is approximately the noise level of the sensor measurement.

  14. Millipede-inspired locomotion through novel U-shaped piezoelectric motors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Avirovik, Dragan; Butenhoff, Bryan; Priya, Shashank

    2014-01-01

    We report a novel piezoelectric motor that operates at a resonance frequency of 144 Hz, much lower than that of conventional ultrasonic motors, and meets the displacement and gait requirements for designing the locomotion mechanism of a millipede-inspired robot (millibot). The motor structure consists of two piezoelectric bimorphs arranged in a U-shaped configuration. Using the first bending mode for both the piezoelectric bimorphs an elliptical motion was obtained at the tip which led to the successful implementation of millipede inspired locomotion. At an input voltage of 70.7 V rms , the piezoelectric motor operating at resonance frequency was able to generate torque of 0.03 mN m, mechanical power of 0.84 mW and maximum velocity of 62 rad s −1 . Detailed discussion is provided about the principle of operation of the millibot. (technical note)

  15. Mathematical model and characteristic analysis of hybrid photovoltaic/piezoelectric actuation mechanism

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Jing; Li, Xiaonan; Ding, Jincheng; Yue, Honghao; Deng, Zongquan

    2016-12-01

    Photovoltaic materials can turn light energy into electric energy directly, and thus have the advantages of high electrical output voltages and the ability to realize remote or non-contact control. When high-energy ultraviolet light illuminates polarized PbLaZrTi (PLZT) materials, high photovoltages will be generated along the spontaneous polarization direction due to the photovoltaic effect. In this paper, a novel hybrid photovoltaic/piezoelectric actuation mechanism is proposed. PLZT ceramics are used as a photovoltaic generator to drive a piezoelectric actuator. A mathematical model is established to define the time history of the actuation voltage between two electrodes of the piezoelectric actuator, which is experimentally validated by the test results of a piezoelectric actuator with different geometrical parameters under irradiation at different light intensities. Some important characteristics of this novel actuation mechanism are analyzed and it can be concluded that (1) it is experimentally validated that there is no hysteresis between voltage and deformation which exists in a PLZT actuator; (2) the saturated voltage and response speed can be improved by using a multi-patch PLZT generator to drive the piezoelectric actuator; and (3) the initial voltage of the piezoelectric actuator can be acquired by controlling the logical switch between the PLZT and the piezoelectric actuator while the initial voltages increase with the rise of light intensity.

  16. In situ health monitoring of piezoelectric sensors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jensen, Scott L. (Inventor); Drouant, George J. (Inventor)

    2013-01-01

    An in situ health monitoring apparatus may include an exciter circuit that applies a pulse to a piezoelectric transducer and a data processing system that determines the piezoelectric transducer's dynamic response to the first pulse. The dynamic response can be used to evaluate the operating range, health, and as-mounted resonance frequency of the transducer, as well as the strength of a coupling between the transducer and a structure and the health of the structure.

  17. Performance Analysis of Wind-Induced Piezoelectric Vibration Bimorph Cantilever for Rotating Machinery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gongbo Zhou

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Harvesting the energy contained in the running environment of rotating machinery would be a good way to supplement energy to the wireless sensor. In this paper, we take piezoelectric bimorph cantilever beam with parallel connection mode as energy collector and analyze the factors which can influence the generation performance. First, a modal response theory model is built. Second, the static analysis, modal analysis, and piezoelectric harmonic response analysis of the wind-induced piezoelectric bimorph cantilever beam are given in detail. Finally, an experiment is also conducted. The results show that wind-induced piezoelectric bimorph cantilever beam has low resonant frequency and stable output under the first modal mode and can achieve the maximum output voltage under the resonant condition. The output voltage increases with the increase of the length and width of wind-induced piezoelectric bimorph cantilever beam, but the latter increasing amplitude is relatively smaller. In addition, the output voltage decreases with the increase of the thickness and the ratio of metal substrate to piezoelectric patches thickness. The experiment showed that the voltage amplitude generated by the piezoelectric bimorph cantilever beam can reach the value simulated in ANSYS, which is suitable for actual working conditions.

  18. Improvement of the piezoelectric properties of glass fiber-reinforced epoxy composites by poling treatment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oh, S M; Hwang, H Y

    2013-01-01

    Recently, a new non-destructive method has been proposed for damage monitoring of glass fiber-reinforced polymer composite materials using the piezoelectric characteristics of a polymeric matrix. Several studies of the piezoelectric properties of unidirectional glass fiber epoxy composites and damage monitoring of double-cantilever beams have supported the claim that the piezoelectric method is feasible and powerful enough to monitor the damage of glass fiber epoxy composites. Generally, conventional piezoelectric materials have higher piezoelectric characteristics through poling treatment. In this work, we investigated the change of the piezoelectric properties of glass fiber-reinforced epoxy composites before and after poling treatment. The piezoelectric constants (d 33 ) of glass fiber-reinforced epoxy composites increased by more than 400%. Also, x-ray diffraction tests revealed that poling treatment changed the degree of crystallinity of the epoxy matrix, and this led to the improvement of the piezoelectric characteristics of glass fiber-reinforced epoxy composites. (paper)

  19. Model and Design of a Power Driver for Piezoelectric Stack Actuators

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chiaberge M

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available A power driver has been developed to control piezoelectric stack actuators used in automotive application. An FEM model of the actuator has been implemented starting from experimental characterization of the stack and mechanical and piezoelectric parameters. Experimental results are reported to show a correct piezoelectric actuator driving method and the possibility to obtain a sensorless positioning control.

  20. Per-operative vibration analysis: a valuable tool for defining correct stem insertion: preliminary report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mulier, Michiel; Pastrav, Cesar; Van der Perre, Georges

    2008-01-01

    Defining the stem insertion end point during total hip replacement still relies on the surgeon's feeling. When a custom-made stem prosthesis with an optimal fit into the femoral canal is used, the risk of per-operative fractures is even greater than with standard prostheses. Vibration analysis is used in other clinical settings and has been tested as a means to detect optimal stem insertion in the laboratory. The first per-operative use of vibration analysis during non-cemented custom-made stem insertion in 30 patients is reported here. Thirty patients eligible for total hip replacement with uncemented stem prosthesis were included. The neck of the stem was connected with a shaker that emitted white noise as excitation signal and an impedance head that measured the frequency response. The response signal was sent to a computer that analyzed the frequency response function after each insertion phase. A technician present in the operating theatre but outside the laminated airflow provided feed-back to the surgeon. The correlation index between the frequency response function measured during the last two insertion hammering sessions was >0.99 in 86.7% of the cases. In four cases the surgeon stopped the insertion procedure because of a perceived risk of fracture. Two special cases illustrating the potential benefit of per-operative vibration analysis are described. The results of intra-operative vibration analysis indicate that this technique may be a useful tool assisting the orthopaedic surgeon in defining the insertion endpoint of the stem. The development of a more user-friendly device is therefore warranted.