MECHANICAL TOUGHNESS AND PIEZOELECTRIC PROPERTIES IN A PIEZOELECTRIC COMPOSITE

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study is to fabricate a piezoelectric composite consisting of a piezoelectric ceramic and a high toughness material and to evaluate their electromechanical properties for high force actuator applications. The mixture of the piezoelectric material, PMNZT, and high toughness material, ZrO₂, exhibited high piezoelectric properties as well as good mechanical fracture resistance. Up to 2 vol% of ZrO₂ in PMNZT matrix, piezoelectric d₃₃ coefficient was above 400 pC/N, being 80% of that for the original PMNZT, and the toughness showed twice of the PMNZT. When the volume fraction of the ZrO₂ was above 5%, however, the piezoelectric coefficient became abruptly decreased and it approached 40% of value for the PMNZT.

Keywords:

• Piezoelectric composite
• piezoelectric ceramic
• high strength stabilized ZrO₂

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

This study was supported by a grant of research program from Korea Electrotechnlology Research Institute.