Dynamic Analytical Solution of a Piezoelectric Stack Utilized in an Actuator and a Generator

Dynamic Performance of Planetary Gear Joint for Satellite Antenna Driving Mechanism Considering Multi-Clearance Coupling

Dynamic pointing and tracking accuracy are the most relevant indicators of dynamic performance for the satellite antenna driving mechanism. Multi-clearance coupling in the joints will incur high-frequency vibration and dynamic errors of the system. Joints of existing analytical models are generally oversimplified as planar revolute hinges, which ignore the coupling effect of multi-clearance. It cannot proficiently predict the dynamic behavior of the driving mechanism with multi-clearance on the orbit. To address this problem, a typical 2K-H planetary gear joint model with multi-clearance coupling has been developed by considering radial clearance, backlash, tooth profile error, time-varying meshing stiffness, and damping. A dynamic model of a typical dual-axis driving mechanism is established to analyze the dynamic characteristics of multibody systems with planetary gear joints. The effects of rotational speed, radial clearance, backlash, and their coupling on the dynamic performance of the dual-axis driving mechanism under different driving modes are explored by numerical simulations. The results show that the coupling of radial clearance and backlash in joints have a significant influence on the dynamic performance of the system. Appropriate clearance design avails the dynamic pointing accuracy and tracking accuracy of the dual-axis driving mechanism.

Active Vibration Suppression of Stiffened Composite Panels with Piezoelectric Materials under Blast Loads

Transient responses of stiffened panels with piezoelectric sensors and actuators are studied under normal blast loads. The air vehicles could be exposed to blast pulses generated by an explosion or shock-wave disturbances. Thus, active vibration suppression of the vehicles is important under blast loadings. The structural model is designed as a laminated composite panel with lead zirconate titanate (PZT) piezoceramic layers embedded on both top and bottom surfaces. A uniformly distributed blast load is assumed over the whole of the panel surface. The first-order shear deformation theory of plate is adopted, and the extended Hamilton’s principle is applied to derive the equations of motions. The numerical model is verified by the comparison with previous data. Using linear quadratic regulator (LQR) control algorithm, vibration characteristics and dynamic responses are compared. As piezoelectric patches are attached on the whole of the surface, the effect of the stiffener’s location is studied. Furthermore, the influences of the patch’s positions are also investigated through subjection to the blast wave. From various results, in order to get the best control performances, the research aims to find the optimum position of sensor and actuator pairs that is most effective under blast load environments.

Gold nanoparticle–cellulose/PDMS nanocomposite: a flexible dielectric material for harvesting mechanical energy

Cellulose is an abundant natural piezoelectric polymer and is also a renewable resource of significant importance. Here in this work we realize an enhanced piezoelectric response with cellulose in a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) matrix by forming a nanocomposite with the incorporation of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs). In the Au NP–cellulose/PDMS nanocomposite an enhancement in the dielectric constant is recorded due to the presence of cellulose alone and a reduction of dielectric loss is found owing to the presence of Au NPs. This opens the possibility of realizing a nanodielectric material from the nanocomposite under current study. This also indicates the significant potential of the nanocomposite towards energy conversion applications. Subsequently, a mechanical energy harvesting device was fabricated using the Au NP–cellulose/PDMS nanocomposite, which is named as a piezoelectric nanogenerator (PNG). The PNG delivered an enhanced open circuit voltage of ∼6 V, short circuit current of ∼700 nA and a peak power density of 8.34 mW m⁻² without performing any electrical poling steps. The PNG could charge a 10 μF capacitor to 6.3 V in 677 s and could light two commercial blue light emitting diodes (LEDs) simultaneously. The PNG exhibited a good energy conversion efficiency of 1.8%. A touch sensor application of the PNG is also shown.

A gold nanoparticle–cellulose/PDMS based piezoelectric nanogenerator (PNG) is reported in this work. The PNG delivers an efficiency of 1.8%. It can light LEDs and sense finger touch.

Free Damping Vibration of Piezoelectric Cantilever Beams: A Biparametric Perturbation Solution and Its Experimental Verification

As an intelligent material, piezoelectric materials have been widely used in many intelligent fields, especially in the analysis and design of sensors and actuators; however, the vibration problems of the corresponding structures made of the piezoelectric materials are often difficult to solve analytically, because of their force–electric coupling characteristics. In this paper, the biparametric perturbation method was used to solve the free damping vibration problem of piezoelectric cantilever beams, and the perturbation solution of the problem solved here was given. A numerical example was given to discuss the influence of the piezoelectric properties on the vibration of piezoelectric cantilever beams. In addition, related vibration experiments of the piezoelectric cantilever beams were carried out, and the experimental results were in good agreement with the theoretical results. The results indicated that the biparametric perturbation solution obtained in this study is effective, and it may serve as a theoretical reference for the design of sensors and actuators made of piezoelectric materials.