Transversely reinforced piezoelectric composites

US4613784A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force · US

Inventors

• Michael J. Haun · State College, US
• Robert E. Newnham · State College, US
• Walter A. Schulze · Alfred Station, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 21, 1984
• Grant date: Sep 23, 1986
• Expiry date: Dec 21, 2004

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T428/31551

Abstract

Piezoelectric PZT-polymer composites of 1-3 and 1-3-0 connectivity are trversely reinforced with glass fibers to increase the hydrostatic piezoelectric charge and voltage coefficients (d.sub.h and g.sub.h) for possible use in hydrophone applications. These composites consisted of a foamed (with porosity) or non-foamed (no porosity) polymer matrix with PZT rods aligned parallel to the poling direction and glass fibers in the remaining two transverse directions. Because of the small percentage of PZT required, these composites have densities near that of water, and much lower dielectric constants than solid PZT, resulting in large increases in the hydrostatic piezoelectric voltage coefficient g.sub.h. By increasing the d.sub.h and g.sub.h coefficients, the d.sub.h g.sub.h product, used as the figure of merit, is greatly enhanced.