• Advances in nano research
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.423-439
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• 2023

The aim of this paper is to investigate the free vibration behavior of the micro sandwich beam composing of five layers such as functionally graded (FG) porous core, nanocomposite reinforced by carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and piezomagnetic/piezoelectric layers subjected to magneto electrical potential resting on silica aerogel foundation. The effect of foundation has been taken into account using Vlasov model in addition to rigid base assumption. For this purpose, an iterative technique is applied. The material properties of the FG porous core and FG nanocomposite layers are considered to vary throughout the thickness direction of the beams. Based on the Timoshenko beam theory and Hamilton's principle, the governing equations of motion for the micro sandwich beam are obtained. The Navier's type solution is utilized to obtain analytical solutions to simply supported micro sandwich beam. Results are verified with corresponding literatures. In the following, a study is carried out to find the effects of the porosity coefficient, porous distribution, volume fraction of CNT, the thickness of silica aerogel foundation, temperature and moisture, geometric parameters, electric and magnetic potentials on the vibration of the micro sandwich beam. The results are helpful for the design and applications of micro magneto electro mechanical systems.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.55-71
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• 2013

Structural health monitoring (SHM) is vital for detecting the onset of damage and for preventing catastrophic failure of civil infrastructure systems. In particular, piezoelectric transducers have the ability to excite and actively interrogate structures (e.g., using surface waves) while measuring their response for sensing and damage detection. In fact, piezoelectric transducers such as lead zirconate titanate (PZT) and poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) have been used for various laboratory/field tests and possess significant advantages as compared to visual inspection and vibration-based methods, to name a few. However, PZTs are inherently brittle, and PVDF films do not possess high piezoelectricity, thereby limiting each of these devices to certain specific applications. The objective of this study is to design, characterize, and validate piezoelectric nanocomposites consisting of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles assembled in a PVDF copolymer matrix for sensing and SHM applications. These films provide greater mechanical flexibility as compared to PZTs, yet possess enhanced piezoelectricity as compared to pristine PVDF copolymers. This study started with spin coating dispersed ZnO- and PVDF-TrFE-based solutions to fabricate the piezoelectric nanocomposites. The concentration of ZnO nanoparticles was varied from 0 to 20 wt.% (in 5 % increments) to determine their influence on bulk film piezoelectricity. Second, their electric polarization responses were obtained for quantifying thin film remnant polarization, which is directly correlated to piezoelectricity. Based on these results, the films were poled (at 50 $MV-m^{-1}$) to permanently align their electrical domains and to enhance their bulk film piezoelectricity. Then, a series of hammer impact tests were conducted, and the voltage generated by poled ZnO-based thin films was compared to commercially poled PVDF copolymer thin films. The hammer impact tests showed comparable results between the prototype and commercial samples, and increasing ZnO content provided enhanced piezoelectric performance. Lastly, the films were further validated for sensing using different energy levels of hammer impact, different distances between the impact locations and the film electrodes, and cantilever free vibration testing for dynamic strain sensing.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.16-22
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• 2024

Composite-based piezoelectric devices are extensively studied to develop sustainable power supply and self-powered devices owing to their excellent mechanical durability and output performance. In this study, we design a lead-free piezoelectric nanocomposite utilizing (Ba_0.85 Ca_0.15)(Ti_0.9Zr_0.1)O₃ (BCTZ) nanomaterials for realizing highly flexible energy harvesters. To improve the output performance of the devices, we incorporate porous BCTZ nanowires (NWs) into the nanoparticle (NP)-based piezoelectric nanocomposite. BCTZ NPs and NWs are synthesized through the solid-state reaction and sol-gel-based electrospinning, respectively; subsequently, they are dispersed inside a polyimide matrix. The output performance of the energy harvesters is measured using an optimized measurement system during repetitive mechanical deformation by varying the composition of the NPs and NWs. A nanocomposite-based energy harvester with 4:1 weight ratio generates the maximum open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current of 0.83 V and 0.28 ㎂, respectively. In this study, self-powered devices are constructed with enhanced output performance by using piezoelectric energy harvesting for application in flexible and wearable devices.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.400-403
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• 2013

The piezoelectric composite film of ferroelectric PZT ceramic ($PbZr_xTi_{1-x}O_3$) and polymer (PDMS, Polydimethylsiloxane) was prepared to improve the flexibility of piezoelectric material. The bar coating method was applied to fabricate flexible nanocomposite film with large surface area by low cost process. In the case of using metal electrode on the composite film, although there is no problem by bending process, the electrode is usually broken away from the film by stretching process. However, the well-attached, flexible CNT electrode on PZT/PDMS film improved flexibility, especially stretchability. PZT particles was usually settled down into polymer matrix due to gravity of the weighty particle, so to improve the dispersion of PZT powder in polymer matrix, small amount of additives (CNT powder, Carbon nanotube powder) was physically mixed with the matrix. By stretching the film, an output voltage of PZT(70 wt%)/PDMS with CNT (0.5 wt%) was measured.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.309-319
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• 2008

This study evaluates a range of materials that may be used to design prostheses for bone. It is found that nanocrystalline ceramic-polymer composite could be the best material for prosthetic bone with respect to biocompatibility, morphology, chemistry, and compatibility with the piezoelectric and mechanical behavior of long human bones, such as the femur.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.577-592
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• 2023

In this study, nanofiber-based textile sensors were developed for motion detection and monitoring. Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) nanofibers containing zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles and silver nanowires (AgNW) were fabricated using electrospinning. PVDF was chosen as a piezoelectric polymer, zinc oxide as a piezoelectric ceramic, and AgNW as a metal to improve electric conductivity. The PVDF/ZnO/AgNW nanocomposite fibers were used to develop a textile sensor, which was then incorporated into an elbow band to develop a wearable smart band. Changes in the output voltage and peak-to-peak voltage (V_p-p) generated by the joint's flexion and extension were investigated using a dummy elbow. The β-phase crystallinity of pure PVDF nanofibers was 58% when analyzed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; however, the β-phase crystallinity increased to 70% in PVDF nanofibers containing ZnO and to 78% in PVDF nanocomposite fibers containing both ZnO and AgNW. The textile sensor's output voltage values varied with joint-bending angle; upon increasing the joint angle from 45° to 90° to 150°, the V_p-p value increased from 0.321 V_p-p to 0.542 V_p-p to 0.660 V_p-p respectively. This suggests that the textile sensor can be used to detect and monitor body movements.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.509-523
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• 2019

In the present work, the buckling analysis of micro sandwich plate with an isotropic/orthotropic cores and piezoelectric/polymeric nanocomposite face sheets is studied. In this research, two cases for core of micro sandwich plate is considered that involve five isotropic Devineycell materials (H30, H45, H60, H100 and H200) and an orthotropic material also two cases for facesheets of micro sandwich plate is illustrated that include piezoelectric layers reinforced by carbon and boron-nitride nanotubes and polymeric matrix reinforced by carbon nanotubes under temperature-dependent and hydro material properties on the elastic foundations. The first order shear deformation theory (FSDT) is adopted to model micro sandwich plate and to apply size dependent effects from modified strain gradient theory. The governing equations are derived using the minimum total potential energy principle and then solved by analytical method. Also, the effects of different parameters such as size dependent, side ratio, volume fraction, various material properties for cores and facesheets and temperature and humidity changes on the dimensionless critical buckling load are investigated. It is shown from the results that the dimensionless critical buckling load for boron nitride nanotube is lower than that of for carbon nanotube. It is illustrated that the dimensionless critical buckling load for Devineycell H200 is highest and lowest for H30. Also, the obtained results for micro sandwich plate with piezoelectric facesheets reinforced by carbon nanotubes (case b) is higher than other states (cases a and c).The results of this research can be used in aircraft, automotive, shipbuilding industries and biomedicine.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.295-301
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• 2019

In this paper, buckling analyses of composite concrete plate reinforced by piezoelectric nanoparticles is studied. The Halphin-Tsai model is used for obtaining the effective material properties of nano composite concrete plate. The nano composite concrete plate is modeled by Third order shear deformation theory (TSDT). The elastic medium is simulated by Winkler model. Employing nonlinear strains-displacements, stress-strain, the energy equations of concrete plate are obtained and using Hamilton's principal, the governing equations are derived. The governing equations are solved based on Navier method. The effect of piezoelectric nanoparticles volume percent, geometrical parameters of concrete plate and elastic foundation on the buckling load are investigated. Results showed that with increasing Piezoelectric nanoparticles volume percent, the buckling load increases.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.88-94
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• 2023

Recently, piezoelectric tactile sensors have garnered considerable attention in the field of texture recognition owing to their high sensitivity and high-frequency detection capability. Despite their remarkable potential, improving their mechanical flexibility to attach to complex surfaces remains challenging. In this study, we present a flexible piezoelectric sensor that can be bent to an extremely small radius of up to 2.5 mm and still maintain good electrical performance. The proposed sensor was fabricated by controlling the thickness that induces internal stress under external deformation. The fabricated piezoelectric sensor exhibited a high sensitivity of 9.3 nA/kPa ranging from 0 to 10 kPa and a wide frequency range of up to 1 kHz. To demonstrate real-time texture recognition by rubbing the surface of an object with our sensor, nine sets of fabric plates were prepared to reflect their material properties and surface roughness. To extract features of the objects from the detected sensing data, we converted the analog dataset to short-term Fourier transform images. Subsequently, texture recognition was performed using a convolutional neural network with a classification accuracy of 97%.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.32 no.11
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• pp.508-514
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• 2022

Piezoelectric composite films which are enabled by inorganic piezoelectric nanomaterials-embedded polymer, have attracted enormous attention as a sustainable power source for low powered electronics, because of their ease of fabrication and flexible nature. However, the absorption of applied stress by the soft polymeric matrices is a major issue that must be solved to expand the fields of piezoelectric composite applications. Herein, a flexible and porous piezoelectric composite (piezoelectric sponge) comprised of BaTiO₃ nanoparticles and polydimethylsiloxane was developed using template method to enhance the energy conversion efficiency by minimizing the stress that vanishes into the polymer matrix. In the porous structure, effective stress transfer can occur between the piezoelectric active materials in compression mode due to direct contact between the ceramic particles embedded in the pore-polymer interface. The piezoelectric sponge with 30 wt% of BaTiO₃ particles generated an open-circuit voltage of ~12 V and a short-circuit current of ~150 nA. A finite element method-based simulation was conducted to theoretically back up that the piezoelectric output performance was effectively improved by introducing the sponge structure. Furthermore, to demonstrate the feasibility of pressure detecting applications using the BaTiO₃ particles-embedded piezoelectric sponge, the composite was arranged in a 3 × 3 array and integrated into a single pressure sensor. The fabricated sensor array successfully detected the shape of the applied pressure. This work can provide a cost-effective, biocompatible, and structural strategy for realizing piezoelectric composite-based energy harvesters and self-powered sensors with improved energy conversion efficiency.