TY  - CONF
T1  - Determination of critical and minimum volume fraction for composite sensors and actuators
A1  - Bowen,C.R.
A1  - Dent,A.C.
A1  - Stevens,R.
A1  - Cain,M.
A1  - Stewart,M.
Y1  - 2005///
KW  - Actuators
KW  - Composite
KW  - Fibres
KW  - Piezoelectric
KW  - Sensors
KW  - Lead Zirconate Titanate
KW  - PZT
KW  - Vibration damping
KW  - Strength
KW  - Mechanical properties
SP  - 483
EP  - 487
JF  - 4M2005 - First International Conference on Multi-Material Micro Manufacturing
T2  - 4M2005 - First International Conference on Multi-Material Micro Manufacturing
A2  - Menz,W.
A2  - Dimov,S.
CY  - Oxford
PB  - Elsevier
T3  - 4M Network of Excellence
N2  - Composite actuators and sensors manufactured by combining a ferroelectric ceramic such as lead zirconate
titanate (PZT) and a passive phase such as a polymer are used in a variety of applications including SONAR, vibration
damping, change of structural shape (morphing) and structural health monitoring. The composite route provides specific
advantages, including tailored piezoelectric response, high strain, a degree of flexibility and increased damage tolerance
compared to conventional dense monolithic ceramic materials. For piezoelectric fibre composites, where fine scale brittle
ceramic fibres of 40-800um in diameter are introduced into a ductile polymer matrix, the composite strength and failure
mechanism ultimately depends on the mechanical properties of each phase and their volume fraction. This paper
examines the mechanical properties of piezoelectric fibres and the matrix phase and discusses the influence of fibre
volume fraction on mechanical properties and failure mechanism of the composite. The 'critical' and 'minimum' volume
fraction of fibre based piezocomposite sensors and actuators are also determined. The data is of particular use in
determining the failure stress, failure strain and failure mechanism of composite actuators and sensors subjected to high
levels of stress, for example in applications where these materials are embedded into structural elements for shape
control and morphing.
SN  - 0-080-44879-8
Y2  - 2005/06/29/
M2  - Karlsruhe,Germany
ER  -