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[January 2001]
Guides on piezoelectrics
Two new Measurement Good Practice Guides on piezoelectrics are now available from National Physical Laboratory (Teddington, Middx, England).
The first guide, entitled 'Piezoelectric Resonance', is intended to help a user perform resonance spectra measurement on piezoelectric ceramics. The phenomenon of resonance is introduced and linked to the evaluation of the piezoelectric matrix by appropriate choice of sample geometry and data analysis method. The IEEE and complex coefficient methods are explained and compared with a worked example, helping the user to understand the stages of measurement and analysis.
The second guide is entitled 'Piezoelectric d33 Coefficients Using the Direct Method'. Although piezoelectric materials are often used as actuators in order to make small, precise movements, it can be difficult to measure these displacements in an industrial environment. Consequently, simpler methods have been sought to measure the piezoelectric activity, such as resonator methods, and the measurement of the piezoelectric coefficient d33 using the direct method (often called the Berlincourt Method). This guide examines the advantages and disadvantages of the method and uses typical PZT ceramics to examine the validity of using the data from this method in predicting the displacement of materials in real conditions.
E-mail for further info: materials@npl.co.uk
ENDS