Flexible Bridge Transducer Based on the Lead Zirconate Titanate/Polyurethane Composite
Résumé
The cymbal piezoelectric transducers have been considered for a long time due to their feasibility for harvesting energy from high-level vibration sources. In fact, thick cymbal elastic caps enhance the resistance of piezoelectric material to bear high vibration levels. In addition, cymbal caps allows producing large longitudinal stresses in piezoelectric material under perpendicular load applied on the top elastic endcap, which is profitable for micro-energy harvesting. However, piezoelectric materials cannot support larger tensional stresses; thus, such piezoelectric transducers have a serious problem when working under higher-level vibration conditions. In this research paper, we proposed a bridge transducer using lead zirconate titanate/polyurethane composite in order to overcome the cracking problem at classic piezoelectric transducers. Indeed, these materials could bear higher tensional stresses because they combine flexibility of electrostrictive polymer with high piezoelectric coefficient of ceramics. Finite element analysis were made for evaluating the mechanical tensile strain and electrical power output from the bridge transducer using PU-50-vol%-PZT composite. Besides FEA results from bridge transducers using PU-50-vol%-PZT composite and PZT-5A materials were compared. Finally, the results were found to be functionally promising and encouraging for adopting these transducers.