Electro-active electret transducers, and on ferroelectret and composite-electret sensors

• Grant number: 16/24832-3
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Visiting Researcher Grant - International
• Start date: January 02, 2017
• End date: January 15, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Electrical Engineering - Electrical Materials
• Principal Investigator: Ruy Alberto Corrêa Altafim
• Grantee: Ruy Alberto Corrêa Altafim
• Visiting researcher: Georg Reimund Gerhard
• Visiting researcher institution: University of Potsdam, Germany
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The topic of the visiting project will be the combination of mechanical, electrical and thermal effects on the behavior of electro-active electret transducers in general, and on ferroelectret and composite-electret sensors in particular. Usually, only the electro-mechanical (or piezoelectrical) domain is investigated and utilized for electro-mechanical transducers and the electro-thermal (or pyroelectrical) domain for pyroelectric sensors and electrocaloric devices. However, from fundamental thermodynamical considerations and from the real properties of the relevant materials, it is clear that all three domains may be of comparable importance. Therefore, a holistic view will be beneficial for real-world applications. Consequently, thermal stimulation will be used to better characterize the electro-mechanical behavior and the stability of ferroelectret and other electret sensors, and new experiments and evaluation methods will be developed and initiated. (AU)