Modeling the effective properties of highly loaded 0-3 piezocomposites

A matrix method, previously used to calculate the effective properties of 0-3 piezocomposites, has been extended to 3-3 connectivity. In this case, the properties of ceramic and polymer phases which lead to optimum composite performances are the same as for 1-3 composites. For highly loaded 0-3 piezocomposites, other connectivities can appear, and a method to quantify the proportion of 3-3 connectivity in the composite is proposed. Theoretically, we show that for low proportions of 3-3 connectivity a lead titanate is preferred, while for higher proportions a lead zirconate titanate will produce higher piezoelectric constants