231575 Piezo-Mechanics GB

1. Generation of motionby piezo-electrical devices1.1. Piezomechanical effectsPiezo-actuators like stacks, benders, tubes, rings makeuse of the deformation of electro-active PZT-ceramics(PZT: lead (Pb) zirconia (Zr) Titanate (Ti)), when they areexposed to electrical fields. This deformation can beused to produce motions and / or forces.The above effect is the complementary effect to piezoelectricity,where electrical charges are produced uponapplication of mechanical stress to the ceramics. As ananalogy the term “piezo-mechanics” was introduced inthe early 80’s of the past century by L. Pickelmann todescribe the conversion of electricity into a mechanicalreaction by a piezo-material.For piezo-mechanical conversion in the simplest case asingle PZT layer is used.Such a PZT monolayer structure as shown in fig.1aacting as a capacitive element defined by 2 thin conductiveelectrode coatings enclosing the piezo-ceramicas dielectric.Fig. 1a: Schematic of a piezoelectric single layer elementWhen this “piezo-capacitor” is charged by applying avoltage, the deformation is created. PZT actuators are “moving capacitors”Thickness mode (d33 effect)Piezo stack actuators and stacked piezo rings make useof the increase of the ceramic thickness in direction ofthe applied electrical field (d33 effect). Stacking ofseveral layers towards a multilayer structure increasesequivalently the total stroke. In practice, axial strainrates up to 2‰ of stack’s length can be achieved undercertain conditions.Planar mode (d31 effect)Similar to normal elastic deformation of a solid statebody, the thickness expansion (d33) of a PZT layer isaccompanied by an in-plane shrinking (fig.1a). This iscalled the d31 effect, being complementary in motionand showing roughly half linear strain comparedto the d33 effect.The d31 effect is mainly used for bending structures(uni/mono-morphs, bimorphs ect. and piezo-ceramictubes).Fig. 1b:Schematic of an axially acting multilayer piezo-stack4