High-Strength Piezoceramic Fibers for Smart Adaptive Structures

This program on high-strength piezocermaic fibers probes a critical gap in the technology of smart materials which interconvert electrical and mechanical energy. Strong piezoceramic fibers that can function as load bearing members in structures and survive the large mechanical strains encountered in highly stressed engineering components are not developed. It is envisioned that piezoelectric fabric composites will be produced from the fibers. These composites will be bonded to structures like beams and panels to sense and actively damp in-plane strains which cause noise and vibration. Such fibers are badly needed for the active control of noise and vibration in military structures and vehicles, and are also widely applicable to the civil, commercial and industrial fields where similar problems exist.