The mechanical properties of multilayered Cu-Ni thin films with bilayer thicknesses of 1.6–12 nm were investigated by a nanoindentation technique. Force-displacement curves generated during loading and unloading of a diamond tip indenter were used to determine the hardness and elastic properties of the films. No enhancement in the elastic properties (supermodulus effect) was seen, but an enhancement in the hardness was observed. It is suggested that the enhancement, which displayed a Hall–Petch-type behavior, can be understood as owing to dislocation pinning at the interfaces analogous to the mechanism of grain boundary hardening.
A torsional actuator generating angular displacement from piezoelectric shear strain was developed. The actuator is a tube consisting of an even number of segments poled along the length, which are adhesively bonded together, and the joints act as electrodes to apply the driving voltage. The experimental data measured on the prototype actuator: (i) prove the proposed concept of the torsional actuator, (ii) show that the actuator functions well under the torque load, and (iii) demonstrate that it has superior characteristics compared to previously reported designs of torsional actuators.
The paper describes a piezoelectric motor that combines the merits of piezoelectric materials, such as high power density generated at electromechanical resonance, and a precise control of displacement. In the motor, a standing shear wave is excited at the resonance in the piezoelectric tube, and it produces high-frequency torsional vibrations of the stator. The vibrations are converted into unidirectional rotation of a rotor by using a direct coupling mechanism between the stator and the rotor in which a clutch drives the rotor via locking it. The direct coupling makes it possible to transmit the whole power generated in the piezoelectric tube to the rotor, and thus achieve the high efficiency of the motor. It also allows combining two regimes of operation: continuous rotation and a stepwise motion within a 360 degrees interval with a high resolution of angular displacement.
The letter describes a piezoelectric motor that combines the merits of piezoelectric materials, such as high power density generated at electromechanical resonance, and a precise control of displacement. The motor utilizes a direct coupling mechanism between the stator and rotor, where a clutch drives the rotor via locking it. The direct coupling makes it possible to transmit the whole power generated in the piezoelectric element to the rotor, and thus achieve the high efficiency of the motor. It also allows the combining of two regimes of operation: continuous rotation and a stepwise motion within a 360° interval with a high resolution of angular displacement.
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