Nonlinear magnetoelectric behavior of Terfenol-D/PZT-5A laminate composites

Abstract

In this paper, a comprehensive experimental study and modeling of the nonlinearbehavior of Terfenol-D/PZT-5A magnetoelectric laminate composites is reported.Magnetostriction versus magnetic field of an individual Terfenol-D sample of dimensionslength = 22 mm,width = 19 mm,thickness = 0.683 mm, and polarization versus electric field as well as strain versuselectric field of an individual PZT-5A sample of dimensionslength = 22 mm,width = 19 mm,thickness = 0.127 mm were characterized. These samples were bonded to form a symmetricPZT-5A/Terfenol-D/PZT-5A laminate composite to avoid bending–extensioncoupling. Electric response of this composite to magnetic input was comprehensivelycharacterized to include major loop and minor loop behavior. A modeling approach thatstructurally couples the nonlinear magnetostrictive Terfenol-D behavior and linearPZT-5A behavior to predict the magnetoelectric response was developed andvalidated against experimental results. This analysis, with further refinements,could prove to be a useful tool to model and design magnetoelectric sensors.