Study of 1–3 PZT Fibre/Epoxy Composites with Low Volume Fraction of Ceramics

Abstract

Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) fibres were prepared by the viscous suspension spinning process (VSSP). Pre-sintered PZT powder mixed with poly (acrylic acid) was spun in a spinnerette to form fibres. The diameter of the fibre was 0.4 mm. The piezoelectric and ferroelectric properties of the single fibre were studied. The piezoelectric coefficient (d₃₃) and the remnant polarization P_r for a single fibre were found to be 490 pC/N and 26 μC/cm², respectively, which are comparable with that in the bulk sample. The fibres were used to fabricate 1–3 PZT fibre/epoxy composites with low volume fraction of PZT (<0.2). Different theoretical models were used to calculate the piezoelectric coefficient (d₃₃) of the composites and compared with experimental results.

Keywords:

• PZT fibres
• 1–3 composite
• piezoelectric strain coefficient (d₃₃)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This work was supported by the Center for Smart Materials of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, ASM Assembly Automation Ltd and the Innovation & Technology Fund ITF (UIT/024) of the Hong Kong SAR.