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Piezoelectric materials
Introduction: the piezoelectric effect
The piezoelectric effect describes the relation between a
mechanical stress and an electrical voltage in solids.
It is reversbile: an applied mechanical stress will generate a
voltage and an applied voltage will change the shape of the solid
by a small amount (up to a 4% change in volume).
In physics, the piezoelectric effect can be described as the the link
between electrostatics and mechanics.
History
The piezoelectric effect was discovered in 1880 by the Jacques
and Pierre Curie brothers. They found out that when a mechanical
stress was applied on crystals such as tourmaline, tourmaline,
topaz, quartz, Rochelle salt and cane sugar, electrical charges
appeared, and this voltage was proportional to the stress.
First applications were piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers and
soon swinging quartz for standards of frequency (quartz clocks).
An everyday life application example is your car's airbag sensor.
The material detects the intensity of the shock and sends an
electricla signal which triggers the airbag.
Piezoelectric materials
The piezoelectric effect occurs only in non conductive materials.
Piezoelectric materials can be divided in 2 main groups: crystals
and cermaics. The most well-known piezoelectric material is
quartz (SiO2).
Cop yright 2007
Las t upd ated 21 July 2007
2010/8/31 Piezoelectric materials
http://www.piezomaterials.com/ 1/2
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