Solid freeform fabrication of piezoelectric sensors and actuators

The last two decades have witnessed the proliferation piezoelectric composite transducers for an array of sensor and actuator applications. In this article, a concise summary of the major methods used in composite making, with special emphasis on Solid Freeform Fabrication (SFF), is provided. Fused Deposition of Ceramics (FDC) and Sanders Prototyping (SP) are two SFF techniques that have been utilized to make a variety of novel piezocomposites with connectivity patterns including (1-3), (3-2), (3-1), (2-2) and (3-3). The FDC technique has also been used to prototype a number of actuators such as tube arrays, spiral, oval, telescoping, and monomorph multi-material bending actuators. It has been demonstrated that SFF technology is a viable option for fabricating piezocomposite sensors and actuators with intricate geometry, unorthodox internal architecture, and complex symmetry. The salient aspects of processing of such composite sensors and actuators are summarized, and structure-processing-property relations are elaborated on.     

Functional composites for sensors,actuators and transducers

Following the trend in structural applications, composite structures are being used more commonly in transducer applications to improve acoustic, mechanical and electrical performance of piezoelectric devices. Functional composite transducers for actuators and sensors generally consist of an active ceramic phase incorporated with a passive polymer phase, each of which has a phase transition associated with it. In this paper, several polymer–piezoelectric ceramic composite transducers, mostly designed for sensing hydrostatic waves, are discussed based on the connectivity of the constituent phases. Also discussed are some recent examples of metal–ceramic composites, and single element ceramic transducers with modified shapes for improved performance. A comparison of these designs is given based on their hydrophone figure of merit (d_h·g_h).     

Fabrication and experimental characterization of d31 telescopic piezoelectric actuators

A popular and useful piezoelectric actuator is the stack. Unfortunately with this type of actuation architecture the long lengths normally required to obtain necessary displacements can pose packaging and buckling problems. To overcome these limitations, a new architecture for piezoelectric actuators has been developed called telescopic. The basic design consists of concentric shells interconnected by end-caps which alternate in placement between the two axial ends of the shells. This leads to a linear displacement amplification at the cost of force; yet the force remains at the same magnitude as a stack and significantly higher than bender type architectures. This paper describes the fabrication and experimental characterization of three different telescopic prototypes. The actuator prototypes discussed in this paper mark a definitive step forward in fabrication techniques for complex piezoceramic structures. Materials Systems, Inc. has adapted injection molding for the fabrication of net shape piezoceramic actuators. Injection molding provides several advantages over conventional fabrication techniques, including: high production rate, uniform part dimensions, uniform piezoelectric properties, and reduced fabrication and assembly costs. Acrylate polymerization, developed at the University of Michigan, is similar to gelcasting, but uses a nonaqueous slurry which facilitates the production of large, tall, complex components such as the telescopic actuator, and is ideal for the rapid manufacture of unique or small batch structures. To demonstrate these fabrication processes a five tube telescopic actuator was injection molded along with a very tall three tube actuator that was cast using the acrylate polymerization method. As a benchmark, a third actuator was built from off-the-shelf tubes that were joined with aluminum end-caps. Each prototype's free deflection behavior was experimentally characterized and the results of the testing are presented within this paper.     

ZIF-67修饰WO3纳米片的制备及其气敏性能

金属氧化物半导体气敏传感器在有毒有害气体检测领域逐渐表现出巨大的应用前景,但是金属氧化物半导体传感器通常在检测时受环境湿度影响较大,这极大地限制了其应用。本文采用水热法成功在陶瓷管表面原位生长WO₃纳米片,并以此为基底,在其表面生长ZIF-67多孔材料,通过调控W和Co的比例制备了不同比例的ZIF-67/WO₃复合材料,利用XRD、SEM、FTIR和比表面积测试仪(BET)等方法对所制备的材料进行物相和形貌表征。针对其不同比例的复合材料的气敏性能进行了研究。结果表明:W∶Co摩尔比为 1∶1的ZIF-67/WO₃(1∶1)复合材料性能最好,在220℃对三乙胺表现出优异的选择性,对体积分数为100×10?6的三乙胺的响应值可达140.34,响应和恢复时间分别为9 s和7 s。研究了空气相对湿度(RH)对ZIF-67/WO₃(1∶1)传感器的影响,结果表明,在高达75%RH环境下该材料仍能保持较好的响应值,相对于纯WO₃气敏材料具有较好的抗湿性能。      

碳纳米管增强陶瓷基复合材料研究进展

碳纳米管因其独特的结构而具有许多独特的性能,除了在半导体器件、储氢、传感器、吸附材料、电池电极、催化剂载体等领域具有非常广阔和诱人的应用前景外,碳纳米管在制备结构、功能以及结构/功能一体化复合材料方面也将大有作为.本研究对国内外碳纳米管增强陶瓷基复合材料的研究状况进行了综合分析,指出了存在的问题及以后的发展方向.     

Comparative study of high temperature composites

Two classes of composite made using either ceramic matrix with high temperature fibers or carbon/carbon have been used for various applications that require high temperature resistance, over three decades. However, their use has been limited to special applications because of the high costs associated with fabrication. Typically the composites are cured at more than 1000°C, and in most instances the heating has also to be carried out in controlled environments. In addition, because of the high processing temperature, only certain type of expensive fibers can be used with the ceramic matrices. A recently developed inorganic matrix, called polysialate can be cured at temperatures less than 150°C, making it possible to use carbon and glass fibers. Composites made using carbon, glass and combinations of carbon and glass fibers have been tested in bending and tension. This paper presents the comparison of processing requirements and mechanical properties of carbon/carbon composites, ceramic matrix composites made with silicon carbide, silicon nitride and alumina fibers and carbon/polysialate composites. The results indicate that carbon/polysialate composite has mechanical properties comparable to both carbon/carbon and ceramic matrix composites at room and high temperatures. Since the polysialate composites are much less expensive, the authors believe that it has excellent potential for more applications in aerospace, automobile and naval structures.     

Experimental investigation on the piezo-composite actuator with piezoelectric single-crystal layer

Studies on muscle mimicking actuators have increased in the last two decades due to the possibility of various applications for compact lightweight actuators including small unmanned aircrafts, missile, and biomimetic robots. Piezoelectric materials have been used in a variety of applications ranging from shape control of structure and active vibration control of structure to noise suppression due to compact size and good frequency response. Conventional polycrystal piezoelectric ceramic materials, however, have limited actuating strains and displacement, hindering their use in actuators for small aerospace vehicles. In this study, the design and fabrication method of an actuator with a piezoelectric single-crystal layer were investigated to increase the actuation strain and displacement. From a comparison of the performance of the LIPCA-C2 and LIPCA-S prototypes, it was found that the new LIPCA-S2, which has much higher coefficient of the unimorph actuator, can generate an actuating displacement more than twice that of LIPCA-C2.     

基于不同压电材料作动机制的压电层厚度研究

研究了压电材料复合板的3种作动机制,弯曲作动机制、剪切作动机制、混合作动机制,针对粘贴在纤维板上不同厚度的压电作动层,具体分析了复合板的端部位移,研究结果对噪声和振动的主动控制中的模态控制和智能结构静态形状控制提供了一定的参考。     

Smart piezoelectric Fibre composites

Abstract

Piezoelectric materials are capable of actuation and sensing and have found uses in applications including ultrasonic transducers, hydrophones, micropositioning devices, accelerometers, and structural actuators. A composite configuration for structural actuation having significant advantages over conventional piezoelectric actuators has been conceived, and the recent development of piezoelectric ceramic fibres < 100 μ m in diameter has enabled this concept to be realised. It is envisaged that these composites will find uses in contour control, non-destructive testing, vibration suppression, and noise control. The possibility of computer control using closed loop systems has led to these composites emerging as potential 'smart' materials and structures. Since their conception, less than a decade ago, significant advances have been made in many areas concerned with composite performance, such as fibre and matrix technology and configuration optimisation. These advances are charted, the fibre, matrix, and electrode technologies are reviewed, and the manufacture, modelling, and applications of these new piezoelectric composites, known as active fibre composites, are discussed.     

Proposal of an active composite with embedded sensor

Though advanced composites with embedded actuator materials such as shape memory alloys and piezo ceramics have been developed as active materials, another one by making use of thermal deformation of composites was proposed and an active laminate was prepared as an example by hot-pressing of aluminum plate as material of high coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), uni-directional carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) prepreg as low CTE material and electric resistance heater, polymer adhesive film as insulator between them, and copper foils as electrodes. Actuation of this laminate is different from that of bimetal because CTE of the CFRP layer is strongly anisotropic due to directionality of its reinforcement fiber. As CTEs of the CFRP layer and the aluminum plate in the fiber direction are quite different from each other though they are close to each other in the transverse direction, smooth and uni-directional actuation becomes possible. In this study, its fundamental performances such as shape change and output force were observed and evaluated, and after establishment of its fabrication, an optical loss type sensor was formed in the active composite, by embedding multiply pre-notched optical fiber in the CFRP layer and breaking it at the pre-notches under bending, followed by lamination on aluminum plate with adhesive. As the sensing part can be formed inside the matrix without any complicated processes, a robust and low cost sensor is obtained. From the results, it becomes clear that: (1) curvature of the active composite linearly changes as a function of temperature between room temperature and its hot pressing temperature by electric resistance heating of the CFRP layer and cooling, (2) its output force against a fixed punch during heating from room temperature up to around glass transition temperature of the resin phase almost linearly increases with increasing temperature, (3) the multiply pre-notched, embedded and fractured optical fiber works as a sensitive sensor for monitoring the curvature of the active composite.     

Design and fabrication of functionally graded PZT/Pt piezoelectric bimorph actuator

A laminated piezoelectric bimorph actuator with a graded compositional distribution of PZT and Pt was fabricated, and its deflection characteristics were evaluated. Using experimentally determined compositional dependency of elastic and piezoelectric properties in the PZT/Pt composites, the modified classical lamination theory and the finite element method were applied to find the optimum compositional profile that will give a larger deflection and smaller stress, simultaneously. The miniature bimorph-type graded actuator that consists of a composite internal-electrode (PZT/30 vol% Pt) and three piezoelectric layers of different compositions (PZT/0–20 vol% Pt) were fabricated by powder stacking and sintering. The deflection of the actuator was measured using electric strain gages mounted on the top and bottom surfaces of the actuator. The deflection was found to strongly depend on the composition distribution profile. Under an applied electric field of 100 V m^–1, the actuator with an optimum composition profile exhibited a curvature of up to 0.03 m^–1, which is a satisfactory performance for this kind of actuators. The stress generated on actuation was estimated to be as low as 0.4 MPa, which is much smaller than those of conventional directly bonded actuators and will assure a long actuation life.     

Proposal of an active composite with embedded sensor

Though advanced composites with embedded actuator materials such as shape memory alloys and piezo ceramics have been developed as active materials, another one by making use of thermal deformation of composites was proposed and an active laminate was prepared as an example by hot-pressing of aluminum plate as material of high coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), uni-directional carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) prepreg as low CTE material and electric resistance heater, polymer adhesive film as insulator between them, and copper foils as electrodes. Actuation of this laminate is different from that of bimetal because CTE of the CFRP layer is strongly anisotropic due to directionality of its reinforcement fiber. As CTEs of the CFRP layer and the aluminum plate in the fiber direction are quite different from each other though they are close to each other in the transverse direction, smooth and uni-directional actuation becomes possible. In this study, its fundamental performances such as shape change and output force were observed and evaluated, and after establishment of its fabrication, an optical loss type sensor was formed in the active composite, by embedding multiply pre-notched optical fiber in the CFRP layer and breaking it at the pre-notches under bending, followed by lamination on aluminum plate with adhesive. As the sensing part can be formed inside the matrix without any complicated processes, a robust and low cost sensor is obtained. From the results, it becomes clear that: (1) curvature of the active composite linearly changes as a function of temperature between room temperature and its hot pressing temperature by electric resistance heating of the CFRP layer and cooling, (2) its output force against a fixed punch during heating from room temperature up to around glass transition temperature of the resin phase almost linearly increases with increasing temperature, (3) the multiply pre-notched, embedded and fractured optical fiber works as a sensitive sensor for monitoring the curvature of the active composite.     

Press-Fit Sheathing for Ceramic Gun Liners

Ceramic materials are being investigated by the Army for use in gun tubes. Compared to gun steels, ceramics possess superior wear resistance at ballistic temperatures, thus enabling improved lifetime for gun tubes. In order to survive the ballistic event, however, it is necessary to prestress the ceramic components with external sheathing to offset the tensile stresses in the tube wall that occur during the ballistic event. Previous sheathing designs for ceramic liners have included thermal shrink fits of tubular metallic components, steel wire overwrapped under high tension, and advanced fibrous composites overwrapped under high tension. In the present investigation, press-fitted composite sheaths are fabricated and tested with the purpose of validating a computer model applicable to the design of ceramic gun barrel liners.     

A sensor charge output deviation method for delamination detection using isolated piezoelectric actuator and sensor patches

Delamination is one of the most prevalent failure mechanisms for laminated composites. To secure the safety of composite structures, it is required and necessary to develop cost-effective and efficient delamination detection techniques and methods. In this paper, a dynamic analytical model, namely sensor charge output deviation method is proposed to identify a delamination embedded in a cantilever laminated composite beam bonded with isolated piezoelectric actuator and sensor patches. Two pairs of collocated piezoelectric patches are bonded on top and bottom surfaces of the beam and used as actuators for exciting the composite beam. Another piezoelectric patch with gridding electrode pattern on its top surface is bonded on the top surface of the host beam and is employed as a sensor to record the required voltage and thus the sensor charge output along the beam. The effects of some major geometric parameters and the type of applied electric voltage on the sensor charge output distribution and delamination detection sensitivity are discussed in this paper. A comparison between the analytical models using isolated piezoelectric actuator and sensor patches and that using integrated piezoelectric sensor/actuator layer, which was developed previously, is conducted. For the baseline case considered here, there is an excellent agreement of the first three order frequencies between the present finite element analysis and analytical models.     

Warm isostatic pressing (WIP''ing) of GS44 Si3N4 FDC parts for defect removal

Fused deposition of ceramics (FDC) is one of the developing solid freeform fabrication (SFF) techniques. The successful production of high performance ceramics by the FDC process requires that no defects exist in the green parts. However, build defects, such as missing roads, poorly bonded layers or sub-perimeter voids can be encountered in improperly built FDC parts. In this study, a method known as WIP'ing (warm isostatic pressing) was evaluated for its ability to eliminate existing defects in GS44 Si₃N₄ green FDC parts. Analogous to CIP'ing (cold isostatic pressing), the green FDC parts were rubber bagged and loaded into a pressure chamber filled with water soluble oil at different temperatures, ranging from 30 to 90°C, at pressures of up to 35 MPa. X-Ray radiography results indicated that at temperatures above 70°C, WIP'ing was effective in closing the gaps of the intentionally placed void defects in FDC parts. However, WIP'ing above 70°C was not effective in healing the defects completely. The fracture strengths of FDC parts with intentional added defects, WIP'ed above 70°C were substantially lower than control samples.     

空分复用压电自感知执行器执行与传感效果研究

结构振动主动控制可以采用压电自感知执行器。空分复用解耦方法是实现压电自感知执行器的一种新方法，实质是采用几何方法解耦，即将压电片的一个完整电极分割为执行区和传感区以实现自感知。本文以悬臂梁为对象，以涡流位移计作为标准传感器，对两种电极分割方式的压电片的传感和执行效果进行了实验研究。通过测量压电梁的频率特性，证明了空分复用的压电陶瓷片同时兼有传感和执行两种功能。实验结果也表明传感区的敏感输出受到执行区激励电压的静电耦合的影响，利用悬臂梁存在反谐振点的特性，提出了一种定量测量静电耦合的方法，并测定了不同电极宽度、不同极间隙下的静电耦合系数。本文的工作为采用空分复用的压电自感知执行器进行振动主动控制奠定了基础。     

Use of electrophoretic deposition in the processing of fibre reinforced ceramic and glass matrix composites: a review

Electrophoretic deposition (EPD) is a simple and cost-effective method for fabricating high-quality ‘green’ composite bodies which, after a suitable high-temperature treatment, can be densified to a composite with improved properties. In this contribution, we describe the use of EPD technique in the fabrication of fibre reinforced composites, with an emphasis on composites with glass and ceramic matrices containing metallic or ceramic fibre fabric reinforcement. EPD has been used to infiltrate preforms with tight fibre weave architectures using different nanosized ceramic particles, including silica and boehmite sols, as well as dual-component sols of mullite composition. The principles of the EPD technique are briefly explained and the different factors affecting the EPD behaviour of ceramic sols and their optimisation to obtain high infiltration of the fibre preforms are considered. In particular, the EPD fabrication of a model alumina matrix composite reinforced by Ni-coated carbon fibres is presented. The pH of the solution and the applied voltage and deposition time are shown to have a strong influence on the quality of the infiltration. Good particle packing and a high solids-loading were achieved in most cases, producing a firm ceramic deposit which adhered to the fibres. Overall, the analysis of the published data and our own results demonstrate that EPD, being simple and inexpensive, provides an attractive alternative for ceramic infiltration and coating of fibre fabrics, even if they exhibit tight fibre weave architectures. The high-quality infiltrated fibre mats are suitable prepregs for the fabrication of advanced glass and ceramic matrix composites for use in heat-resistant, structural components.     

纤维厚度和体积分数对压电纤维复合物应变性能的影响

实验制备了不同纤维厚度和体积分数的压电纤维复合物, 并在0.1 Hz的激励电压下测试了压电纤维复合物的自由应变性能和驱动性能, 研究复合物典型结构参数对其性能的影响。实验发现, 随着压电纤维厚度增加, 复合物自由应变和顶端位移下降, 1000 V激励电压下, 纤维厚度为200 μm样品纵向自由应变为665 με, 驱动Mylar膜产生的顶端位移为1.9 mm, 而纤维厚度为300 μm和400 μm样品的纵向自由应变仅为纤维厚度为200 μm样品的23.2%和11.7%, 顶端位移为纤维厚度为200 μm样品的45.8%和19.0%。压电纤维复合物具有驱动正交异性, 横向自由应变、纵向自由应变以及横向效应系数随着纤维体积分数的降低而减小, 纤维体积分数为74%的复合物其横向自由应变和纵向自由应变分别为体积分数为59%样品的2.04倍和1.72倍, 横向效应系数也从0.519减小到0.451。     

Modeling of magnetostriction in particulate composite materials

By combining a magnetostrictive material with a polymer or a metal, the magnetostrictive composites can have a reasonably large magnetostriction response for various sensor and actuator applications. In this paper, a relatively simple model for studying the magnetostrictively induced deformation behavior of magnetostrictive composites is presented. For illustrative purposes, we calculate the magnetostriction responses of composites containing Terfenol-D and nickel. Through numerical calculation, we have obtained the macroscopic longitudinal strains parallel to the applied magnetic field for Terfenol-D/glass composite and both longitudinal and transverse strains for the nickel/epoxy composite. Comparison with experimental data for both material systems shows our model is applicable up to very high volume fraction of magnetostrictive inclusions.