Core/Shell Structured Piezoelectric-Polymer Composites for Enhanced Performance Acoustic Transducers

Acoustic transducers have found wide applications ranging from Navy sonar systems to civilian underwater imaging. Piezoelectric materials perform an essential role of electromechanical energy conversion in such devices. Current piezoelectric materials can not satisfy the increasing requirement of the sensitivities of acoustic transducers for both military and civillian applications. This program seeks to focus on demonstrating a technology that significantly increases the hydrostatic piezoelectric strain coefficient as well as hydrostatic piezoeletric voltage coefficient, leading to high performance acoustic transducers. The effort will demonstrate the developed piezoelectric materials that are sensitive, robust, durable, low-cost and can be integrated readily for various applications. During Phase I, NRC will demonstrate the proof-of-concept. Phase II will optimize, build prototypes, and field test the technology. Phase III will commercialize the technology.