Search

Piezoelectric materials (PEMs) find a wide spectrum of applications that include, but are not limited to, sensors, actuators, semiconductors, memory devices, and energy harvesting systems due to their outstanding electromechanical and polarization characteristics. Notably, these PEMs can be employed across several length scales (both intrinsic and extrinsic) ranging from mesoscale (bulk ceramics) to nanoscale (thin films) during their applications. Over the years, progress in probing individual electrical and mechanical properties of PEM has been notable. However, proportional review articles providing the mechanical characterization of PEM are relatively few. The present article aims to give a tutorial on the mechanical testing of PEMs, ranging from the conventional bulk deformation experiments to the most recent small-scale testing techniques from a materials science perspective. The advent of nanotechnology has led materials scientists to develop in situ testing techniques to probe the real-time electromechanical behavior of PEMs. Therefore, this article presents a systematic outlook on ex situ and in situ deformation experiments in mechanical and electromechanical environments, related mechanical behavior, and ferroelectric/elastic distortion during deformation. The first part provides significant insights into the multifunctionality of PEM and various contributing microstructural length scales, followed by a motivation to characterize the mechanical properties from the application's point of view. In the midst, the mechanical behavior of PEM and related mechanical characterization techniques (from mesoscale to nanoscale) are highlighted. The last part summarizes current challenges, future perspectives, and important observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ionomeric polymer transducers consist of an ion-conducting membrane sandwiched between two metal electrodes. Application of a low voltage (<5 V) to the polymer produces relatively large bending deformation (>2% strain) due to the transport of ionic species within the polymer matrix. A computational model of transport and electromechanical transduction is developed for ionomeric polymer transducers. The transport model is based upon a coupled chemoelectrical multifield formulation and computes the spatiotemporal volumetric charge density profile to an applied potential at the boundaries. The current induced in the polymer is computed using the isothermal transient ionic current associated with surface charge accumulation at the electrodes induced by nonzero volumetric charge density within the polymer. The stress induced in the polymer is assumed to be a summation of linear and quadratic functions of the volumetric charge density. Euler-Bernoulli beam mechanics are used to compute the bending deflection of the transducer to an applied potential. The diffusion coefficient and permittivity of the polymer is identified from the measured current density to a step change in the applied potential. A comparison between the measured data and the predicted response demonstrates that this model accurately predicts the current discharge due to the applied potential at voltages over the range of 50–500 mV. Furthermore, the measured strain response is accurately predicted by determining the two parameters of the mechanics model that relates volumetric charge density to induced stress. The coupled model with parameters identified from the step response analysis is used to predict the harmonic response of the current and the bending strain. Comparisons between measured data and simulations illustrate that the coupled transport-mechanics model accurately predicts the magnitude and trends associated with the current response and strain output. Excellent agreement is obtained at excitation periods above approximately 1 s while good agreement is obtained at longer excitation periods. The transport model highlights the importance of the asymmetry that develops at large applied potentials and long excitation periods in the volumetric charge density due to the fixed anionic species in the polymer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]