Piezoelectric Multilayer Ceramic/Polymer Composite Transducer with 2–2 Connectivity

Abstract

A multilayer piezoelectric ceramic/polymer composite with 2–2 connectivity was fabricated by thermoplastic green machining after co‐extrusion. The multilayer ceramic body was composed of piezoelectrically active lead zirconate titanate (PZN)–lead zinc niobate (PZN)‐lead zirconate titanate (PZT) layers and electrically conducting PZN–PZT/Ag layers. After co‐extruding the thermoplastic body, which consisted of five piezoelectric layers interspersed with four conducting layers, it was computer numeric‐controlled machined to create periodic channels within it. Following binder burnout and sintering, an 18 vol% array of 190 μm thin PZT slabs with a channel size of 880 μm was fabricated. The channels were filled with epoxy in order to fabricate a PZN–PZT/epoxy composite with 2–2 connectivity. The piezoelectric coefficient (effective d 33 ) and hydrostatic figure of merit ( d h × g h ) of the PZN–PZT/epoxy composite were 1200 pC/N and 20 130 × 10 −15 m 2 /N, respectively. These excellent piezoelectric characteristics as well as the relatively simple fabrication procedure will contribute in widening the application range of the piezoelectric transducers.