A single-walled carbon nanotube reinforced 1–3 piezoelectric composite for active control ofsmart structures

Abstract

We propose a new 1–3 piezoelectric composite comprised of armchair single-walled carbonnanotubes imbedded in a piezoceramic matrix which we call a NRPEC (nanotubereinforced 1–3 piezoelectric composite). Values of effective piezoelectric and elastic moduliof the NRPEC determined through a micromechanical analysis are found to be significantlyhigher than those of the 1–3 piezoelectric composite comprised of piezoelectric fibersimbedded in an epoxy matrix. The performance of the NPREC as a constraining layer inan active constrained layer damping (ACLD) treatment of a laminated composite beamhas been studied by the finite element method. Both in-plane and out-of-planeactuations by the constraining layer of the ACLD treatment have been considered, andits length has been optimized by implementing a controllability criterion. Thecomputed controllability measure and the frequency response reveal that the proposedconstraining layer performs better than the 1–3 piezoelectric/epoxy composite layer.