Properties of Piezoelectric Material and Stack Actuators
Having a consistent piezoelectric material is important to the development and production of piezo devices. APC’s piezoelectric materials are known in the industry for their performance and low variability in mechanical and electrical properties.
APC’s piezoelectric materials fall into two broad categories: hard piezo material and soft piezo material.
Properties of soft piezoelectric material include: larger piezoelectric constants, higher permittivity, larger dielectric constants, higher dielectric losses, larger electromechanical coupling factors, low mechanical quality factors, a lower coercive field, poor linearity, and is easier to depolarize. This combination of properties makes soft piezo materials ideal for many sensing applications. APC’s primary soft piezo materials are APC 850 and APC 855.
Properties of hard piezoelectric material include:
smaller piezoelectric constants, lower permittivity, smaller dielectric constants, lower dielectric losses, smaller electromechanical coupling factors, high mechanical quality factors, a higher coercive field, better linearity, and is harder to depolarize. This combination of properties makes hard piezo materials ideal for many high power applications. APC’s primary hard piezo materials are APC 840, 841, and APC 880.
APC’s website has several charts showing all the mechanical and electrical properties of our piezoelectric materials. APC’s material property web app can assist with many of your calculations involving piezo materials.
Piezoelectric Stack Actuators Available from APC International, Ltd.
APC International supplies piezo stack actuators in an extensive array of dimensions, strokes, forces, and power requirements, to meet virtually any need.
APC’s stack actuators offer the following features:
– high loads – up to 10,000 N
– large displacements – up to 0.15-0.20% of piezo stack height
– small size
– bare piezo stacks / encased piezo stacks
– mechanical pre-stress / no pre-stress
– co-fired (150 V maximum)
– discrete stack (150 V / 500 V / 1000 V max.)
– basic (planar face) and spherical
– high dynamic drives
Applications for piezo actuators include fiber modulation for communications, precise positioning devices, proportioning valves, electrical switches, micro pumps, ink jet printers, and anti-vibration devices.
Read More On Piezo Applications
What is the Purpose of a Piezo Motor
Piezo Aiding Advancements in The Healthcare Industry
Discrete Piezo Stacks for Ultrasonic Applications
Self Charging Power Cells and Batteries
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