Parametric Analysis of Effective Material Properties of Thickness-Shear Piezoelectric Macro-Fibre Composites

A previous study on the characterization of effective material properties of a d(15) thickness-shear piezoelectric Macro-Fibre Composite (MFC) made of seven layers (Kapton, Acrylic, Electrode, Piezoceramic Fibre and Epoxy Composite, Electrode, Acrylic, Kapton) using a finite element homogenization method has shown that the packaging reduces significantly the shear stiffness of the piezoceramic material and, thus, leads to significantly smaller effective electromechanical coupling coefficient k(15) and piezoelectric stress constant e(15) when compared to the piezoceramic fibre properties. Therefore, the main objective of this work is to perform a parametric analysis in which the effect of the variations of fibre volume fraction, Epoxy elastic modulus, electrode thickness and active layer thickness on the MFC effective material properties is evaluated. Results indicate that an effective d(15) MFC should use relatively thick fibres having relatively high shear modulus and relatively stiff epoxy filler. On the other hand, the electrode thickness does not affect significantly the MFC performance.

Parametric analysis of effective material properties of thickness-shear piezoelectric macro-fibre composites

A previous study on the characterization of effective material properties of a d15 thickness-shear piezoelectric Macro-Fibre Composite (MFC) made of seven layers (Kapton, Acrylic, Electrode, Piezoceramic Fibre and Epoxy Composite, Electrode, Acrylic, Kapton) using a finite element homogenization method has shown that the packaging reduces significantly the shear stiffness of the piezoceramic material and, thus, leads to significantly smaller effective electromechanical coupling coefficient k15 and piezoelectric stress constant e15 when compared to the piezoceramic fibre properties. Therefore, the main objective of this work is to perform a parametric analysis in which the effect of the variations of fibre volume fraction, Epoxy elastic modulus, electrode thickness and active layer thickness on the MFC effective material properties is evaluated. Results indicate that an effective d15 MFC should use relatively thick fibres having relatively high shear modulus and relatively stiff epoxy filler. On the other hand, the electrode thickness does not affect significantly the MFC performance.

Coupling Between GABA(A)-R Ligand-Binding Activity and Membrane Organization in beta-Cyclodextrin-Treated Synaptosomal Membranes from Bovine Brain Cortex: New Insights from EPR Experiments

Correlations between GABA(A) receptor (GABA(A)-R) activity and molecular organization of synaptosomal membranes (SM) were studied along the protocol for cholesterol (Cho) extraction with beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD). The mere pre-incubation (PI) at 37A degrees C accompanying the beta-CD treatment was an underlying source of perturbations increasing [H-3]-FNZ maximal binding (70%) and K (d) (38%), plus a stiffening of SMs' hydrocarbon core region. The latter was inferred from an increased compressibility modulus (K) of SM-derived Langmuir films, a blue-shifted DPH fluorescence emission spectrum and the hysteresis in DPH fluorescence anisotropy (A (DPH)) in SMs submitted to a heating-cooling cycle (4-37-4A degrees C) with A (DPH,heating) < A (DPH,cooling). Compared with PI samples, the beta-CD treatment reduced B (max) by 5% which correlated with a 45%-decrement in the relative Cho content of SM, a decrease in K and in the order parameter in the EPR spectrum of a lipid spin probe labeled at C5 (5-SASL), and significantly increased A (TMA-DPH). PI, but not beta-CD treatment, could affect the binding affinity. EPR spectra of 5-SASL complexes with beta-CD-, SM-partitioned, and free in solution showed that, contrary to what is usually assumed, beta-CD is not completely eliminated from the system through centrifugation washings. It was concluded that beta-CD treatment involves effects of at least three different types of events affecting membrane organization: (a) effect of PI on membrane annealing, (b) effect of residual beta-CD on SM organization, and (c) Cho depletion. Consequently, molecular stiffness increases within the membrane core and decreases near the polar head groups, leading to a net increase in GABA(A)-R density, relative to untreated samples.