For more information please send us your email address.
TECHFIND - MATERIALS
Piezoelectric Composite for Underwater Applications
A UK company that manufactures, markets, and designs ceramic and carbon products for industries such as communications has recently introduced piezoelectric composite components consisting of piezoelectric ceramic in an electrically-inactive polymer matrix. The material has been specifically formulated with high coupling values and high dielectric properties. This combination yields a density which makes it useful for undersea exploration, such as conformal sensors and detectors for ships and deployable vehicles. The company reports that this density compatibility results in lower acoustic impedance, higher efficiency and energy transfer through water and reduced lateral mode coupling within the acoustic device since the arrays can be phased electrically, transitioning from one element to the other with no moving parts. Unlike traditional side-scan arrays, the polymer fill has attenuating properties which can be maximized for each design. This involves placing the thin bars of the piezoelectric material in a linear array pattern, similar to the tines of a comb. These architectures are available in sizes up to 3" x 2" and frequencies from 100 kHz to 12 MHz of standard or custom materials, including Types I, II, VI and single crystal lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate.
Media Spiders®
A UK company that manufactures, markets, and designs ceramic and carbon products for industries such as communications has recently introduced piezoelectric composite components consisting of piezoelectric ceramic in an electrically-inactive polymer matrix. The material has been specifically formulated with high coupling values and high dielectric properties. This combination yields a density which makes it useful for undersea exploration, such as conformal sensors and detectors for ships and deployable vehicles. The company reports that this density compatibility results in lower acoustic impedance, higher efficiency and energy transfer through water and reduced lateral mode coupling within the acoustic device since the arrays can be phased electrically, transitioning from one element to the other with no moving parts. Unlike traditional side-scan arrays, the polymer fill has attenuating properties which can be maximized for each design. This involves placing the thin bars of the piezoelectric material in a linear array pattern, similar to the tines of a comb. These architectures are available in sizes up to 3" x 2" and frequencies from 100 kHz to 12 MHz of standard or custom materials, including Types I, II, VI and single crystal lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate.
