Rapid Prototyping of Novel Piezoelectric Composites

Abstract

Piezoelectric ceramic-polymer composites have been conceptualized, prototyped, fabricated by rapid prototyping in order to surpass those fabricated with traditional processing methods in novelty as well as performance. Rapid prototyping offers unmatched design and fabrication flexibility in achieving structural complexity and hierarchy in developing piezoelectric composites. A detailed account of all salient aspects of Fused Deposition of Ceramics (FDC) and Fused Deposition of Multi-Materials (FDMM), two major technologies pioneered at Rutgers University, are discussed. Structureprocessing-property relations are elaborated on using connectivity as the unifying central concept. Examples of novel piezoelectric ceramic-polymer composites fabricated using FDC and FDMM are given, and pertinent electromechanical properties are discussed. Pending challenges in this line of research are also elaborated on.

Fracture Surface Analysis of 3D-Printed Tensile Specimens of Novel ABS-Based Materials

“…A logical path to engineering the physical properties of materials used in 3DP is the development of composites where the matrix material is a printable polymer to maintain compatibility with material extrusion 3D printers. There are multiple examples of successful implementation of such material modifications for use in FDM TM [3][4][5][6][7]. The development of polymer matrix composites (PMC) is an obvious path to developing better materials for use in material extrusion 3D printers due to the ease of material blending and compounding, combined with the generally low prices of the matrix materials (less than a dollar per pound for ABS).…”

Elastic properties and frequency characteristics of a piezo-active 3–0-type corundum-containing composite

“…We observe the 'mirror' behaviour of the volume fractions m c and m p , and this behaviour has no analogies among the piezo-active 3-0-type composites studied earlier. 1 In our opinion, such an original behaviour of m c and m p is achieved due to specifics of the shrinkage Δ* of the composite samples wherein the high stiffness corundum component influences the internal mechanical stress field and pore formation, especially for relatively small m c values. We remind the reader that the relatively large difference in the elastic moduli of the corundum and FC components ( Table 1) is one of the main features of the studied composite, and the pore formation can be regarded as a specific stress accommodation in the composite sample due to the mismatch of the elastic properties of the FC and corundum components.…”

“…[5], where α = 0, 1, 2, or 3, and β = 0, 1, 2, or 3), the 3-β composites [2] have been studied to a lesser degree in comparison to the widespread 2-2, 1-3, and 0-3 FC/polymer composites [1,4]. A piezoelectric performance of the 3-β FC/polymer composites studied in work [2] suggests that these materials can be competitive because of their hydrostatic piezoelectric parameters, piezoelectric sensitivity and anisotropy.…”

“…The group of piezo-active composites is vast due to the large number of components that are involved for the design of such composites and the potential to improve and tailor their piezoelectric performance. These components are often chosen among ferroelectric ceramics (FCs), ferroelectric single crystals, and polymers [1][2][3], and each group of these materials can actively influence the piezoelectric properties of the composites. Piezo-active composites based on FCs are of interest due to their effective electromechanical properties and related parameters [1][2][3] which are to be taken into account in piezotechnical applications [4] such as piezoelectric sensors, transducers, hydrophones, and energy-harvesting, medical ultrasonic, and non-destructive testing devices.…”

“…These components are often chosen among ferroelectric ceramics (FCs), ferroelectric single crystals, and polymers [1][2][3], and each group of these materials can actively influence the piezoelectric properties of the composites. Piezo-active composites based on FCs are of interest due to their effective electromechanical properties and related parameters [1][2][3] which are to be taken into account in piezotechnical applications [4] such as piezoelectric sensors, transducers, hydrophones, and energy-harvesting, medical ultrasonic, and non-destructive testing devices. The effective properties and parameters of the composite based on FC depend on the properties of components, microgeometry, technological factors, and poling conditions.…”