A model for estimation of electromechanical characteristics of piezoelectric polymer composites

Abstract

The constitutive equations, of piezoelectric polymer composite materials used for their electromechanical characterisation are complicated and their analytical solution is difficult. Earlier models assumed either stress or strain components to be constant. In this paper we present a model for electromechanical characterisation of piezoceramic polymer composites. The assumptions are (i) the samples have complete stress free boundary conditions at the polymer piezoelectric interfaces, (ii) the materials are lossless, (iii) the co-ordinate axes are pure mode propagation directions and (iv) the electric potential and the displacements are assumed to be independent degrees of freedom. Based on these assumptions, expressions for impedance, phase velocities and electromechanical coupling constant are developed for piezoelectric polymer composites.