Electromechanical coupling and its anisotropy in a novel 1–3–0 composite based on single-domain 0.58Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–0.42PbTiO3 crystal

The anisotropic piezo-active composite with 1–3–0 connectivity is studied to show features of the piezoelectric response and electromechanical coupling at variations of microgeometric characteristics of the composite matrix. A system of the anisotropy factors is analysed for the single-domain 0.58Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–0.42PbTiO3 crystal/porous polyurethane composite wherein the porosity and aspect ratio of pores are varied. Examples of extreme of electromechanical coupling factors and their anisotropy factors are analysed. The important role of the piezoelectric anisotropy factor d33∗/|d31∗| of the composite and the elastic anisotropy of the porous polymer matrix is emphasised in connection with the non-monotonic volume-fraction dependence of some effective parameters of the composite and with large ratios of its electromechanical coupling factors (k33∗/|k31∗|≫1 and kt∗/|kp∗|≫1). Some advantages of this anisotropic 1–3–0 composite over the conventional highly anisotropic PbTiO3-type ceramics are discussed.