Tunable layered composites based on magnetoactive elastomers and piezopolymer for sensors and energy harvesting devices

Abstract

The novel layered structures comprising piezoelectric polymer and magnetoactive elastomer (MAE) were developed and investigated. The influence of iron particles content in the elastomeric layer, its thickness and Young’s modulus of silicone on the multiferroic properties of the structures were analyzed. The investigation included the experimental and numerical characterization of the magnetoelectric effect. The giant values of bending deformations of MAEs in the external gradient magnetic field led to giant values of induced voltage (up to nearly 650 mV) in the composite. The displacement of ferromagnetic particles inside the elastomeric matrix under gradient magnetic field became the main basis for numerical modelling. The molecular dynamic method, ‘virtual springs’ method and Verlet algorithm were used to obtain the results of the numerical experiment. The energy transformation and magnetic field response in the novel composite allow it to be used in sensors and energy-harvesting devices.

Magnetoelectric Response of Laminated Cantilevers Comprising a Magnetoactive Elastomer and a Piezoelectric Polymer, in Pulsed Uniform Magnetic Fields

“…To the best of our knowledge, the ME coupling in a layered composite with an MAE layer was first reported by Feng et al [ 27 ] who cured an MAE layer on a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) film. Makarova et al published a series of papers [ 28 , 29 , 30 ] devoted to the development of ME polymer-based composite materials using silicone matrices. Initially, they reported multiferroic ferroelectric/ferromagnetic-polymer composite systems, consisting of ferroelectric lead zirconate titanate (PZT) particles, ferromagnetic NdFeB (or barium ferrite) particles, and silicone matrix [ 28 ].…”

“…The maximum value of the coefficient of the converse ME transformation for the sample with Fe microparticles was found to be ≈36 pT·m/V, which is three orders of magnitude smaller than can be observed in conventional (stiff) laminated composites [ 31 ]. Very recently, the same group reported the first realization of layered structures comprising a commercially available PE polymer (PVDF) and MAE and pointed out their perspectives for sensors and energy harvesting devices [ 30 ]. The direct ME effect was observed as a voltage appearing between the electrodes of the PE polymer due to the bending of the composite structure in a non-uniform magnetic field.…”

“…The amplitude of voltage oscillations during magnetic-field pulse excitations (pulse duration ~10 ms) reached about 650 mV. The work [ 30 ] demonstrated that a significant direct ME effect is feasible in multiferroic composite materials comprising MAE layers. However, further research is required, because the unconventional experimental configuration in [ 30 ] (in particular, the external magnetic field is non-uniform) did not allow one to determine the ME coupling coefficient.…”

“…The work [ 30 ] demonstrated that a significant direct ME effect is feasible in multiferroic composite materials comprising MAE layers. However, further research is required, because the unconventional experimental configuration in [ 30 ] (in particular, the external magnetic field is non-uniform) did not allow one to determine the ME coupling coefficient. Additionally, it remains unclear how the physical properties of the MAE layer(s) should be optimized in order to achieve the maximum ME voltage coefficient.…”

Boosting Magnetoelectric Effect in Polymer-Based Nanocomposites

“…For example, the direct magnetoelectric (ME) effect is the magnetically tunable polarization, change of the value or direction of electrical polarization under the applied magnetic field. Those unique properties are advance for the application of ME composites in energy transfer/harvesting [ 4 , 5 , 6 ], magnetic field sensors [ 5 , 7 , 8 ] and biomagnetic field sensors [ 9 , 10 ].…”