Electrical response during indentation of a 1-3 piezoelectric ceramic-polymer composite

The electrical response during indentation of a piezoelectric ceramic-polymer 1-3 composite has been investigated. The current (quasistatic charge increment) induced in the indentor due to the polarized layer on the contact surface increases with load as the contact area increases. Good agreement was found between the measured currents as a function of load with those predicted using an analytical model. In addition, the current increases with increasing indentation velocity and indentor diameter. It uses known analytical results to develop a new tool for characterizing the electrical response of piezoelectric composites. As such, linear elastic indentation with simultaneous measurement of load and electric current is shown to be a new, fast, and nondestructive technique that can be used for quality assurance and to study the effect of aging and development/presence of damage/microcracking in monolithic piezoelectric and 1-3 piezoelectric composites.