New piezoelectric material remains effective at 250 ° C

Clive Randall, director of Penn State's Materials Research Institute (MRI), developed the material and

device specializing in intelligent material devices and high-density power electronics.

NASA had a request to power electronicsin remote locations where batteries are difficult to access for replacement. They also wanted self-contained sensors that monitor systems such as engine stability and make these devices work during rocket launches and other high-temperature conditions where current piezoelectrics fail due to heat.

Clive Randall, director of the Penn State Materials Research Institute (MRI)

Piezoelectric materials generateelectrical charge through mechanical compression during, for example, movement. They can also serve as a sensor to measure fluctuations in pressure, temperature, strain or acceleration.

Piezoelectrics can potentially power a variety of devices, from personal electronic devices such as wrist devices to bridge stability sensors.

However, the fundamental problemThe advantage of piezoelectric materials is that their performance begins to drop quite significantly at temperatures above 120 °C. However, the new composition of the piezoelectric material developed by the researchers showed almost constant effective performance at temperatures up to 250 °C.

Another advantage of the material was the high level of electricity production. In this case, the development can be used for other directions, the authors believe. 

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