Large Area Acoustic Control Panels for Air-acoustic and Hydrodynamic Applications

Under separate Navy funding, MSI has developed a low cost injection molding process for piezocomposite fabrication that has made these innovative materials available for the first time in manufacturing quantities. MSI has used this technology to make large area 1-3 type piezoelectric ceramic/polymer composite actuator panels for use in active surface control.These are now under evaluation by the Naval Research Laboratory forthis application. In this program, MSIplans to adapt its piezoelectric composite manufacturing capability to form 1-3 and 2-2 piezocomposites that have hollow PZT elements and can be actuated at high amplitude using strain amplification. Thus, the composites can be configured for extremely high hydrostatic receiving sensitivity (similar to an end-capped array), low voltage actuation, or air-acoustic operation. The applications for such composites can thus be extended to large area hydrophones or airborne acoustic noise control. In Phase 1, MSI will extend the capabilities of its injection molding process to form hollow PZT composite strutures and then demonstrate the configurability of these devices for use in hydrodynamic flow control and air-acoustic applications.