3D Printable Piezoelectric Composite Sensors for Guided Ultrasonic Wave Detection

Abstract

Commercially available photopolymer resin is combined with Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) micrometer size piezoelectric particles to form 3D printable suspensions that solidify under UV light. This in turn allows achieving various non-standard sensor geometries that might bring benefits, such as increased piezoelectric output in specific conditions. However, it is unclear whether piezoelectric composite materials are suitable for Guided Ultrasonic Wave (GUW) detection, which is crucial for Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) in different applications. In this study, thin piezoelectric composite sensors are tape casted, solidified under UV light, covered with electrodes, polarized in a high electric field and adhesively bonded onto a wave guide. This approach helps to understand the capabilities of thin piezoelectric composite sensors for GUW detection. In an experimental study, thin 2-dimensional rectangular, circular and annulus segment shaped piezoelectric composite sensors with an effective surface area smaller than 400 mm2 applied to an aluminum plate with a thickness of 2 mm demonstrate successful detection of GUW up to 250 kHz. An analytical calculation of the maximum and minimum amplitude for the ratio of the wavelength and the sensor length in wave propagation direction shows good agreement with the sensor-recorded amplitude. The output of the piezoelectric composite sensors is compared to commercial piezoelectric discs to evaluate their performance.

Processing of 3-(Trimethoxysilyl)propyl Methacrylate (TMSPM) Functionalized Barium Titanate/Photopolymer Composites: Functionalization and Process Parameter Investigation

“…One approach is to manufacture piezoelectric composite materials made of polymers with embedded piezoelectric ceramic nanoparticles. Such piezoelectric composite sensors offer flexibility, are simple to manufacture, and can be formed easily into various geometries [3,[8][9][10]. However, their performance is much lower than bulk piezoelectric ceramic sensors, and methods to increase their performance are of high interest.…”

“…Photopolymer resins can be filled with piezoelectric particles to form 3D printable piezoelectric composite materials as suspensions [13,19,20]. Under UV light, these suspensions solidify and various geometries of piezoelectric sensors can be achieved [8,9,18,19]. Some studies show that specific geometries of the piezoelectric sensors can improve their performance in SHM applications [9,21].…”

“…Under UV light, these suspensions solidify and various geometries of piezoelectric sensors can be achieved [8,9,18,19]. Some studies show that specific geometries of the piezoelectric sensors can improve their performance in SHM applications [9,21]. Other studies show the possibility to obtain single-directional sensors [18,19] or to increase sensor performance in a single direction [8].…”

Piezoelectric Ceramic/Photopolymer Composites Curable with UV Light: Viscosity, Curing Depth, and Dielectric Properties

“…When photopolymers are filled with piezoelectric particles, piezoelectric composite sensors are created. With the possibility to solidify the material in a few minutes with UV light, non-standard sensor geometries are possible, which show increased piezoelectric performance [19,24,25] and suit SHM applications [26].…”