| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 740017 | Sensors and Actuators A: Physical | 2011 | 10 Pages |
An analytical model is developed to evaluate the performance of 1-3-2 piezoelectric composite where both matrix and fiber materials are piezoelectrically active. A parametric study is conducted to investigate the effects of variations in the poling characteristics of the matrix phase on the overall thermo-electro-mechanical behavior of a 1-3-2 piezocomposite. The figures of merit (FOM) of the 1-3-2 composite as a transducer for underwater acoustics and biomedical imaging applications have been analyzed. It is demonstrated that the effective electromechanical coupling coefficient (Kt) can be enhanced by poling the polymer matrix at 180° poling direction for low ceramic rod volume fraction. The predicted variations in the effective elastic, piezoelectric, and dielectric material constants are nonlinear in nature with fiber volume fraction. It is observed that the influence of thermal effects on effective properties of the composite also induces the polarization in the composite. Also, it is observed from the results that an appropriate selection of the poling characteristics of the individual fiber and matrix phases could lead to the development of a piezocomposite with significant effective properties.
