Fabrication of PZT-polymer composite materials having 3-3 connectivity for hydrophone applications

Abstract

Lanthanum-modified lead zirconate titanate (PZT) powder and volatilisable polymethylmethacrylate (PMM) polymer particles have been used for fabrication of porous sintered ceramics of interconnected porosity varying from 25% to 59%. Sintered ceramics are converted into piezoelectric PZT-polymer composites by incorporating silicone rubber elastomer followed by electroding and poling. Influence of the variation of PZT-PMM ratio and sintering temperatures on the open and closed porosity of the sintered ceramics as well as volume fraction PZT in the composites has been studied and correlated for the optimization of piezoelectric properties. The PZT-polymer composites possess low density, considerably high piezoelectric voltage coefficient and considerably lower ageing characteristics and are therefore considered suitable for designing highly sensitive hydrophone systems.