Piezoelectric Detection Research Articles

Self-powered piezoelectric sensing system for rotational speed detection of AUV propellers

To realize high-precision self-supplied speed measurement of Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) propellers, a self-powered piezoelectric speed sensing and detecting system is developed, which consists of a self-powered piezoelectric detection module and energy management and sensing circuits. The system uses three piezoelectric cantilevers for power and sensing detection. The proposed speed detection system is based on the piezoelectric effect and realizes self-powered sensing by utilizing the kinetic energy generated during the rotation of the propeller into electrical energy. The comprehensive model of the proposed piezoelectric sensing system under periodic toggled excitation is established and analyzed. The optimal output power of the system is investigated through theoretical analysis and simulation. The experimental system of the self-powered speed sensing system is constructed and the effect of speed measurement is tested. Experimental results show that the maximum output power of the piezoelectric self-powered sensing system developed in this work is 218 μW, which is much higher than that of the purely triboelectric sensing system. And the average detection error of the self-powered sensing system is 1.4% and the linearity is 1.09% when the propeller speed ranges from 0 to 300 r/min. Compared with similar self-powered systems, the proposed piezoelectric self-powered system is more advantageous in terms of measurement accuracy and can provide more accurate propeller speed measurement.

Part-per-Billion (Ppb)-Level Acetylene Sensor Employing Optical Quartz Enhanced Photoacoustic Spectroscopy (QEPAS) with an Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifier (EDFA) and a Fiber-Optic Fabry–Perot Interferometer

An all-optical double-pass quartz enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (QEPAS) sensor for the detection of acetylene (C2H2) at part-per-billion (ppb) levels was developed and experimentally validated. By employing an erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) capable of emitting up to 1 W of optical power, a commercial quartz tuning fork (QTF) resonating at 30.7 kHz, and double-pass acoustic microresonators, the amplitude of the QEPAS signal was significantly enhanced, thereby improving the sensitivity of the C2H2-QEPAS sensor. Instead of using piezoelectric detection in conventional QEPAS, a highly sensitive fiber-optic Fabry–Perot interferometer (FPI) was employed to measure the vibration of the QTF prong. A working point self-stabilizing technique was exploited to improve the demodulation sensitivity and stability. The linear response of the sensor to laser power and C2H2 concentration confirmed that no saturation occurred. With an excitation laser power of 1 W and a C2H2 absorption line of 1532.83 nm, a C2H2 minimum detection limit (MDL) of 19.1 ppb was achieved, corresponding to a normalized noise equivalent absorption coefficient (NNEA) of 1.58 × 10−8 cm−1∙W∙Hz−1/2. Owing to its high sensitivity, long-term stability, and immunity to electromagnetic interferences, the QEPAS sensor provides considerable potential for remote gas sensing in environmental monitoring and other applications.

A dual‐range Janus‐structure pressure sensor with broad detection range and high resolution combining triboelectricity and piezoelectricity

AbstractEnabling pressure sensors with high resolution and a broad detection range is of paramount importance yet challenging due to the limitations of each known sensing method. Overlying different sensing mechanisms to achieve complementary functions is a promising approach, but it often leads to increased device thickness, crosstalk signals and complex signal channel management. Herein, we present a dual‐functional conformable pressure sensor that adopts a Janus thin film layout, enabling simultaneous piezoelectric and triboelectric signal detection capabilities between just one electrode pair, showing a most compact device configuration. Notably, despite its thin thickness (~80 μm for a packaged device), it exhibits a broad‐range detection capability with high signal resolution and fast response time, demonstrating a distinct signal‐relay characteristic corresponding to piezoelectricity and triboelectricity. Despite the slimness and simple structure, it shows an impressive signal resolution of 0.93 V·kPa−1 in the range of 0.1–140 kPa and 0.05 V·kPa−1 in the range of 140–380 kPa. Moreover, the device fabrication can be combined with the kirigami method to improve fitting to joint surfaces. This work introduces an innovative paradigm for designing advanced pressure sensing mechanisms, enabling a single device that can meet diverse application scenarios through its simplicity, slim layout, conformable, and self‐powered characteristics to adapt to multiple scenarios.image

THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PIEZOELECTRIC DEFECT DETECTION DEVICE THROUGH MATHEMATICAL MODELING APPLIED TO POLYMER COMPOSITE MATERIALS

In this research article, the focus is on examining the strength characteristics of polymer composite materials under various stress states. The investigation into the material dissolution process is conducted in two distinct stages. Initially, the article employs a criterion approach to derive explicit formulas for the latent decay time (incubation period) of materials, considering singular, exponential and Abelian kernels of the damage operator. In the subsequent stage, the classical strength condition is applied to establish a Volterra type integral equation, which characterizes the damage process for hereditary materials. These resulting differential equations are then solved with appropriate initial conditions. The study utilizes the obtained results to create time-dependent graphs of the damage parameter and performs comparisons. A piezoelectric defect detection device for polymer composite materials has been proposed through the application of mathematical modeling.

A Compensator Microelectromechanical Acceleration Transducer with a Piezoelectric Sensing Element and Optical Reading

Introduction.Modern mobile control objects require the use of highly sensitive transducers of motion parameters, e.g., acceleration, with a wide measurement range. Increased sensitivity to measured parameters can be achieved by using precision optics, e.g., based on the tunneling effect. However, operating ranges of induced movements are less than a micrometer, which creates difficulties in positioning the sensing element. In order to improve manufacturability, to extend the measurement range and to reduce errors of acceleration transducers with optical tunneling, compensation circuits with a piezoelectric actuator as an active sensor can be used.Aim.To extend the measurement range of microelectromechanical acceleration transducers through the use of an integrated approach, including the introduction of a compensation circuit for sensor movements based on the inverse piezoelectric effect and detection of these movements by optical means.Materials and methods.An approach to compensating sensor movements is proposed. This approach consists in using a bimorph piezoelectric plate as an inertial element. The use of optical reading of sensor sub-micrometer displacements is considered.Results.A block scheme and a functional scheme of a compensator micro-opto-electromechanical acceleration transducer with a bimorph piezoelectric sensing element are developed. Deformations in the sensing element under the influence of accelerations (up to 100 m/s2) and compensation voltages, whose amplitude does not exceed several volts, are investigated to ensure the possibility of using the optical tunneling effect in the proposed transducer.Conclusion.A mathematical model of the transducer was developed and studied. A 2.5-fold increase in the measurement range was achieved. It was shown that the introduction of compensation feedback does not decrease the permissible frequency range of measured accelerations.

Piezoelectric excitation and acoustic detection of thin film polymer membrane vibrations.

A simple method of measuring the vibrational response of a thin film membrane was developed. Piezoelectric excitation and acoustic detection (using a microphone) allowed the vibrational spectra of thin membranes to be measured in the kHz range. Vibrational frequencies were used to determine Young's modulus in thin (µm) solvent tensioned films of polydimethylsiloxane and to measure tension in ultrathin polystyrene films. Simulations of membrane motion generated vibrational spectra that agreed with the results of experiments for different membrane shapes.

Improving the seed detection accuracy of piezoelectric impact sensors for precision seeders. Part II: Evaluation of different plate materials

Precision seeders are crucial in modern agriculture as they directly affect agricultural productivity by ensuring the uniform distribution of seeds in the field. Any non-uniformity in seed distribution can lead to missed or multiple seedings, resulting in potential yield losses. To overcome this issue, researchers have dedicated significant efforts to developing efficient and precise methodologies for assessing and enhancing the seeding performance of precision seeders.Piezoelectric impact sensors are widely used for detecting impacts or collisions and can measure the magnitude and duration of such impacts. This study explores a method to improve the reliability and accuracy of seed detection using piezoelectric signal acquisition and analysis to evaluate the seeding performance of precision seeders. A fast and high-precision piezoelectric detection system was designed and tested using steel, acrylic, medium-density fiberboard (MDF), fiberglass, and autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) as plate materials. The results demonstrated that fiberglass exhibited the highest measurement accuracy, exceeding 95 %, in detecting soybean, corn, and sunflower seeds at simulated forward speeds of 6 and 12 km/h.The findings of this study contribute to the development of more efficient and accurate methods for testing and detecting the seeding performance of precision seeders. Using fiberglass as a plate material for piezoelectric impact sensors is a promising approach to improving seed detection accuracy and ensuring the quality of seeding operations.

Ionoacoustic monitoring of relativistic heavy ion beams

The performance of ionoacoustic detectors is investigated with respect to application of high-precision range and energy loss measurements for relativistic heavy ions. The technique is based on the generation of a pressure wave when a microsecond-pulsed relativistic ion beam is stopped in a water container. The acoustic signal from individual ion pulses is registered by a piezoelectric detector and analyzed in the time/frequency domain to identify the location of pressure wave generation. The experiments were performed at the SIS18 synchrotron at GSI Helmholtzzentrum (Darmstadt, Germany) with Xe, Pb and U ions of energies between 200 MeV/u and 1 GeV/u. We show that the signal amplitude of the acoustic pressure pulse has a linear correlation with the beam intensity within a range of at least 104 to 109 particles/spill.By determining the delay time of the primary and reflected acoustic signal in the water reservoir, the ionoacoustic technique provides information on ion ranges of 1 % accuracy. By an energy-range calibration in combination with a simulation code such as FLUKA, the range data can be used to determine the beam energy. As demonstrated, inserting targets of known thickness in front of the detector is a simple approach for measuring the energy loss of relativistic ions. The advantage of the ionoacoustic technique is the rather simple experimental setup, the huge dynamic range, the information available online by means of only a single pulse and its radiation hardness. Ionoacoustic detectors have great potential as intensity and energy monitor for short-pulsed light and heavy ion beams at existing or future high-energy ion facilities.

A tuning fork gyroscope with drive-sense orthogonal thin-walled holes for high sensitivity

A tuning fork gyroscope (TFG) with orthogonal thin-walled round holes in the driving and sensing directions is proposed to improve sensitivity. The thin walls formed by through holes produce stress concentration, transforming the small displacement of tuning fork vibration into a large concentrated strain. When piezoelectric excitation or detection is carried out here, the driving vibration displacement and detection output voltage can be increased, thereby improving sensitivity. Besides, quadrature coupling can be suppressed because the orthogonal holes make the optimal excitation and detection positions in different planes. The finite element method is used to verify the benefits of the holes, and the parameters are optimized for better performance. The experimental results show that the sensitivity of the prototype gyroscope with a driving frequency of 890.68 Hz is 100.32 mV/(°/s) under open-loop driving and detection, and the rotation rate can be resolved at least 0.016 (°/s)/Hz, which is about 6.7 times better than that of the conventional TFG. In addition, the quadrature error is reduced by 2.7 times. The gyroscope has a simple structure, high reliability, and effectively improves sensitivity, which is helpful to guide the optimization of piezoelectric gyroscopes and derived MEMS gyroscopes.

Glucose diagnosis system combining machine learning and NIR photoacoustic multispectral using a low power CW laser.

Non-invasive, portable, economical, dynamic blood glucose monitoring device has become a functional requirement for diabetes in his regulating entire life. In a photoacoustic (PA) multispectral near-infrared diagnosis system, the glucose in aqueous solutions was excited by low power (order of milliwatts) CW laser whose wavelengths were from 1500 to 1630 nm. The glucose in aqueous solutions to be analyzed was contained within the photoacoustic cell (PAC). The PA multispectral signals were measured using a piezoelectric detector, and then the voltage signals from the piezoelectric detector were amplified with a precision Lock-in Amplifier (MFLI500K). The continuously tunable lasers were used to verify the various influencing factors of the PA signal, and the PA spectrum of the glucose solution was examined. Subsequently, six wavelengths with high power were selected at approximately equal intervals from 1500 to 1630 nm, and the gaussian process regression of the quadratic rational kernel was used to collect data through these wavelengths to predict the glucose concentration. The experimental results showed that the near-infrared PA multispectral diagnosis system could be engineered for the prediction of the glucose level (more than 92%, zone A of Clarke Error Grid). Subsequently, the model trained with glucose solution was used to predict serum glucose. With the increase of serum glucose content, the prediction results of the model also showed a high linear relationship, indicating that the photoacoustic method was sensitive to the detection of glucose concentration changes. The results of our study have the potential to not only better develop the PA blood glucose meter but also extend the viability into the detection of otherwise blood components.

Fast interrogation wavelength tuning for all-optical photoacoustic imaging.

Optical detection of ultrasound for photoacoustic imaging provides a large bandwidth and high sensitivity at high acoustic frequencies. Therefore, higher spatial resolutions can be achieved using Fabry-Pérot cavity sensors than conventional piezoelectric detection. However, fabrication constraints during the deposition of the sensing polymer layer require precise control of the interrogation beam wavelength to provide optimal sensitivity. This is commonly achieved by employing slowly tunable narrowband lasers as interrogation sources, hence limiting the acquisition speed. We propose instead to use a broadband source and a fast-tunable acousto-optic filter to adjust the interrogation wavelength at each pixel within a few microseconds. We demonstrate the validity of this approach by performing photoacoustic imaging with a highly inhomogeneous Fabry-Pérot sensor.

Bio-distribution of Carbon Nanoparticles Studied by Photoacoustic Measurements

Carbon-based nanomaterials are promising for a wide range of biomedical applications, i.e. drug delivery, therapy, and imaging including photoacoustic tomography, where they can serve as contrast agents, biocompatibility and biodistribution of which should be assessed before clinical setting. In this paper, localization of carbon flurooxide nanoparticles, carbon nanodots from β-alanine, carbon nanodots from urea and citric acid and glucose-ethylenediamine nanoparticles (NPs) in organs of Wistar rats were studied by photoacoustic measurements after 24 h of their intravenous injection. 16 ns light pulse from a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser with 1064 nm wavelength was used as an excitation source. The laser-induced photoacoustic signals were recorded with a ring piezoelectric detector. Light absorption by carbon NPs resulted in noticeable enhancement of the photoacoustic amplitude in the tissues where the NPs were accumulated. The NPs were preferably accumulated in liver, kidneys and spleen, and to a lesser extent in heart and gastrocnemius muscles. Together with remarkable fluorescent properties of the studied carbon nanomaterials, their photoacoustic responses allow their application for bi-modal fluorescence-photoacoustic bio-imaging.

Damage features extraction of prestressed near-surface mounted CFRP beams based on tunable Q-factor wavelet transform and improved variational modal decomposition

Damage detection of prestressed near-surface mounted (NSM) carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) beams has attracted much attention over the last few decades due to the dramatic increase in the proportion of prestressed NSM CFRP beams in the civil infrastructure. Although many studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of piezoelectric transducer-based damage detection techniques, one of the most reported problems is the variation in signal vibration characteristics caused by external noise, which limits the effectiveness of detection and quantification using traditional basic damage indicators. This study proposed a novel signal processing method of damage feature extraction in a noisy environment based on the tunable Q-factor wavelet transform with improved variational modal decomposition, which is aimed to expand the applicability of the piezoelectric transducer-based damage detection techniques in the damage diagnosis of the prestressed NSM CFRP beam. The proposed method is validated by a numerical case study of an analog signal and an experimental study of NSM CFRP beams. The results show that the tunable Q-factor wavelet transform and improved variational modal decomposition can be employed to remove the environment noise and extract the damage feature of the NSM CFRP beam, which helps in the damage assessment of the NSM CFRP beam.

All-optical light-induced thermoacoustic spectroscopy for remote and non-contact gas sensing

All-optical light-induced thermoacoustic spectroscopy (AO-LITS) is reported for the first time for highly sensitive and selective gas sensing, in which a commercial standard quartz tuning fork (QTF) is employed as a photothermal detector. The vibration of the QTF was measured by the highly sensitive fiber-optic Fabry-Pérot (FP) interferometry (FPI) technique, instead of the piezoelectric detection in the conventional LITS. To improve the stability of the sensor system, a compact QTF-based fiber-optic FPI module is fabricated by 3D printing technique and a dual-wavelength demodulation method with the ellipse-fitting differential-cross-multiplication algorithm (DW-EF-DCM) is exploited for the FPI measurement. The all-optical detection scheme has the advantages of remote detection and immunity to electromagnetic interference. A minimum detection limit (MDL) of 422 ppb was achieved for hydrogen sulfide (H2S), which was ~ 3 times lower than a conventional electrical LITS sensor system. The AO-LITS can provide a promising approach for remote and non-contact gas sensing in the whole infrared spectral region.

Use of Cysteamine and Glutaraldehyde Chemicals for Robust Functionalization of Substrates with Protein Biomarkers-An Overview on the Construction of Biosensors with Different Transductions.

Currently, several biosensors are reported to confirm the absence/presence of an abnormal level of specific human biomarkers in research laboratories. Unfortunately, public marketing and/or pharmacy accessibility are not yet possible for many bodily fluid biomarkers. The questions are numerous, starting from the preparation of the substrates, the wet/dry form of recognizing the (bio)ligands, the exposure time, and the choice of the running buffers. In this context, for the first time, the present overview summarizes the pre-functionalization of standard and nanostructured solid/flexible supports with cysteamine (Cys) and glutaraldehyde (GA) chemicals for robust protein immobilization and detection of biomarkers in body fluids (serum, saliva, and urine) using three transductions: piezoelectrical, electrochemical, and optical, respectively. Thus, the reader can easily access and compare step-by-step conjugate protocols published over the past 10 years. In conclusion, Cys/GA chemistry seems widely used for electrochemical sensing applications with different types of recorded signals, either current, potential, or impedance. On the other hand, piezoelectric detection via quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and optical detection by surface plasmon resonance (LSPR)/surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) are ultrasensitive platforms and very good candidates for the miniaturization of medical devices in the near future.

Early-age concrete strength development monitoring using piezoelectric self-emission and detection (SED) and coda wave energy (CWE)

The property of concrete is very significant to structural safety, and the early hydration process plays a critical role in the final concrete property. This paper develops a self-emission and detection (SED) principle with a single piezoelectric smart aggregate (SA) transducer, which is used as both an actuator and a sensor, to monitor the concrete early age strength development. The signal analysis is carried out by the coda wave energy (CWE). Experiments of concrete specimens with and without the SAs were conducted. Experimental results show a high correlation between the strength of early-age concrete and the CWE and non-linear fitting is used to establish the relationship between them. The proposed CWE features a simple analysis method, and the SED principle does not require consideration of the matching between the transmitting transducer and the receiving sensor, such as frequency range, sensitivity. Furthermore, the proposed method can be used as a reference for health monitoring of other structures and has good application prospects.

Nondestructive assessment of local microcracking degree in orthoclase and plagioclase feldspars using spectral analysis of backscattered laser-induced ultrasonic pulses

The laser-ultrasonic method for nondestructive assessment of a microcracking degree in laboratory specimens of orthoclase and plagioclase feldspars is proposed. The influence of the local concentration of microcracks on the spectral efficiency of backscattering of pulses of longitudinal ultrasonic waves in the studied specimens (the so-called “structural noise power”) is studied. A specially designed laser-ultrasonic transducer used in experiments combines laser excitation of probe broadband ultrasonic pulses in a black polyethylene film and piezoelectric detection of both probe pulses and that scattered in the specimen. We study specimens of a potash feldspar and soda-calcium plagioclase with nonuniformly distributed local microcracks. The cracking domains were identified by optical microscopy as well as using the attenuation coefficient of longitudinal ultrasonic waves measured in these domains. The increase in the ultrasonic attenuation coefficient was associated with a higher concentration of microcracks, which efficiently scatter acoustic waves. At the same time, the domains with a higher ultrasonic attenuation exhibited an increased structural noise power. The direct correlation between the growth of the structural noise power and a higher local concentration of microcracks can be used as a basis of a system of nondestructive ultrasonic monitoring of occurrence and evolution of local microcracks in rocks and geomaterials under external loads of different nature.

Textured CaBi4Ti4O15 ceramics with large piezoelectricity, excellent thermal stability and high resistivity

The bismuth layer-structured ferroelectrics (BLSF) are promising high-temperature piezoelectric materials, in which large piezoelectricity, good thermal stability and high electrical resistivity are desired. Here highly textured CaBi4Ti4O15 BLSF ceramics with orientation factor of 82% have been fabricated by spark plasma sintering technique. The piezoelectric coefficient d33 is significantly enhanced by 250%, from 7.2 pC/N for the texture-less sample to 25.3 pC/N for the textured one, accompanied by a high Curie temperature TC= 788 °C. The variation of d33 is below 5% in the temperature range of 25–500 °C, showing excellent thermal stability. The textured sample exhibits high electrical resistivity ρ = 2.1 × 1011 Ω·cm, an order of magnitude larger than that of the texture-less sample. At the temperature as high as 500 °C, the textured sample still maintains excellent electrical properties of d33 = 24.2 pC/N, tanδ = 9.9% and ρ = 2.7 × 106 Ω·cm, suggesting that the textured CaBi4Ti4O15 ceramics could be a potential candidate for high-temperature piezoelectric sensor or detector applications.

Application of Nondestructive Testing Technology in Quality Evaluation of Plain Concrete and RC Structures in Bridge Engineering: A Review

The development and application of nondestructive testing technology for prestressed reinforced concrete structures in the field of infrastructure construction were summarized in this study via the analysis of relevant literature worldwide. The detection methods, detection principles, and detection instruments in quality evaluation of prestressed reinforced concrete structures were analyzed and compared, based on which, acoustic emission detection technology, impact echo detection technology, ultrasonic detection technology, infrared thermography detection technology, ground-penetrating radar detection technology, piezoelectric transducer detection technology, and X-ray detection technology were summarized. Additionally, the advantages, disadvantages, and application scope of each detection method were focused upon and analyzed comparatively. It is indicated that further improvement in the detection visualization, accuracy, and efficiency for most nondestructive testing technologies is available by optimizing the algorithm and combining artificial intelligence technology with neural network deep learning, precise positioning, and imaging analysis of the quality defects in prestressed reinforced concrete structures. The results of this study can provide technical reference for the further application and research of nondestructive testing technologies in the quality inspection of prestressed reinforced concrete structures.

A pilot study to test the validity of a piezoelectric intra-splint force detector for monitoring of sleep bruxism in comparison to portable polysomnography

To test the validity of a force-based detection system (ISFD: intra-splint force detector) to record sleep bruxism (SB) in comparison to portable polysomnography (PSG). Simultaneous portable PSG recordings with a masseter electromyography (EMG) channel and ISFD with a deformation-sensitive piezoelectric film were performed on six participants with definite SB. First, simulated bruxism behaviors (static clenching, grinding, tapping, and rhythmic clenching) were recorded using both EMG and ISFD. Using these data, interval and duration criteria for ISFD data conditioning were established. Then, portable PSG recordings were conducted with the ISFD during sleep. Using the above criteria, ISFD events were compared with EMG-based SB episodes (the gold standard), and the sensitivity and positive predictive value of ISFD events were calculated. Spearman's correlation coefficients between true-positive ISFD events and SB episodes were then calculated. Among the tested conditioning criteria, a 3-s interval combined with a 1-s duration was selected. The median sensitivity and positive predictive value for the ISFD were 0.861 and 0.585, respectively. The duration of true-positive ISFD events was correlated with that of EMG-based SB episodes (rho = 0.658, P < 0.01). ISFD has validity for SB detection and could be an alternative to single-channel EMG-based recordings.