A flexible piezo-driven active H2S sensor has been fabricated from CdS nanorod arrays. By coupling the piezoelectric and gas sensing properties of CdS nanorods, the piezoelectric output generated by CdS nanorod arrays acts not only as a power source, but also as a response signal to H2S. Under externally applied compressive force, the piezoelectric output of CdS nanorod arrays is very sensitive...

The dependence of the resonant direct magnetoelectric effect on temperature is studied experimentally in planar composite structures. Samples of rectangular shapes with dimensions of 5 mm × 20 mm employed ferromagnetic layers of either an amorphous (metallic glass) alloy or nickel with a thickness of 20-200 μm and piezoelectric layers of single crystalline langatate material or lead zirconate t...

Functionally Graded Materials (FGMs) possess continuously graded material properties and are characterized by spatially varying microstructures. The smooth variation of properties may offer advantages such as reduction of stress concentration and increased bonding strength. Recently, this concept has been explored in piezoelectric materials to improve properties and to increase the lifetime of ...

An exact solution is obtained for the three-dimensional deformations of simply supported laminated rectangular thick plates with embedded shear mode piezoelectric actuators, subjected to mechanical and electrical loading on the upper and lower surfaces. Each layer of the laminate is made of either an orthotropic elastic material or a piezoelectric material whose poling direction lies in the pla...

Bones are an integral part of the human body that exhibit piezoelectric properties, meaning that when stress is applied to the bone, the bone produces a current within itself. This is known as the piezoelectric effect. Material that are piezoelectric can similarly exhibit the reverse piezoelectric effect, meaning that when a current is applied, the material compresses on itself. This property h...

Resonance technique for determining the physical properties of piezoelectric material can be difficult to implement for some low symmetry systems. Inconstancy may be introduced because several samples are needed and the degree of poling depends on sample geometry. The ultrasonic method on the other hand, allows the determination of a complete set of elastic, piezoelectric, dielectric constants ...

There is evidence to support the claim that speedbreakers can cause accidents and injury. When a vehicle approaches a speed-breaker at a speed greater than some threshold velocity, the risk of accident or injury is substantial. Speed-breakers are inconspicuous in low visibility conditions, like at night, or when there is fog, rain or snow. This problem is particularly acute in developing countr...

Efforts to improve the properties and reliability of piezoelectric materials have often concentrated on processing dense ceramic material by techniques such as fine particle size powder production, grain size control, hot pressing, hot isostatic pressing and controlled atmosphere sintering [1–3]. However, it has been shown that lowering the density and introducing significant amounts of open po...

1. Abstract There are several optical applications in which a mirror or lens requires accurate manipulation, for example in microscanning or focusing optical systems. Typically, such devices are designed on a trial-and-error basis. To improve on this procedure, we apply topology optimization in the design of a piezoelectric micropositioner. The mechanism employs two piezoelectric stack actuator...

A piezoelectrically driven hydraulic amplification microvalve for use in compact high-performance hydraulic pumping systems was designed, fabricated, and experimentally characterized. High-frequency, high-force actuation capabilities were enabled through the incorporation of bulk piezoelectric material elements beneath a micromachined annular tethered-piston structure. Large valve stroke at the...