Gastric motility evaluated by electrogastrography and alternating current biosusceptometry in dogs

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Statements on chaos control designs, including a fractional order dynamical system, applied to a MEMS comb-drive actuator

In this work, we deal with a micro electromechanical system (MEMS), represented by a micro-accelerometer. Through numerical simulations, it was found that for certain parameters, the system has a chaotic behavior. The chaotic behaviors in a fractional order are also studied numerically, by historical time and phase portraits, and the results are validated by the existence of positive maximal Lyapunov exponent. Three control strategies are used for controlling the trajectory of the system: State Dependent Riccati Equation (SDRE) Control, Optimal Linear Feedback Control, and Fuzzy Sliding Mode Control. The controls proved effective in controlling the trajectory of the system studied and robust in the presence of parametric errors.

On an Non-Ideal Global and Local Energy Transfer, Using an Electro-Magneto and Magneto-Rheological Dampers

In this paper, we investigated the nonlinear vibrations of a Non-ideal (NIS) electromechanical absorber (NEVA), taking into account a modified mathematical model of (MR) Damper. We observed the presence of the Sornmerfeld effect (it is the steady state frequencies of the DC motor, which it will usually increasing as more power (Voltage) is given to it, in a step-by-step fashion. When a resonance condition it is reached, the better part of this energy it is consumed to generate large amplitude vibrations of the foundation, without sensible change of the motor frequency). The obtained results, by using numerical and analytical simulations, were discussed, in details.

Study on the K3Li2Nb5O15 formation during the production of (Na0.5K0.5)((1-x))LixNbO3 lead-free piezoceramics at the morphotropic phase boundary

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

The influence of thermal treatment on the preparation of PNM and PMN-PT thin films

Ferroelectric thin films belong to a class of materials with great technological importance in optic fibers, micro-electromechanical systems, and microprocessors and computers memories.The (1-x)PbMg1/3Nb2/3O3(x)PbTiO3 (PMN-PT) thin films, with x=0, 0.1, 0.35 and 0.5, were prepared by Pechini's process and deposited by spin-coating on Si(100), Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si(100) and quartz substrates. The goal of the present paper is to verify the thermal treatment influence on the perovskite phase formation, which is desirable for these applications. The phase formation was analyzed by X-ray diffraction. The film's surface was characterized by atomic force microscopy to analyze the roughness and the homogeneity. The results of this study indicate that the optimum conditions for obtaining the perovskite phase using a Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si(100) substrate, were drying each deposited layer at 140 degreesC (heating plate), and a final thermal treatment at 600 degreesC for 3 h in a closed system with a lead-rich atmosphere. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of oxidizing atmosphere on ferroelectric and piezoelectric response of CaBi2Nb2O9 thin films

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties of bismuth titanate thin films grown on different bottom electrodes by soft chemical solution and microwave annealing

Bismuth titanate (Bi4Ti3O12, BIT) films were evaluated for use as lead-free piezoelectric thin films in micro-electromechanical systems. The films were grown by the polymeric precursor method on LaNiO3/SiO2/Si (1 0 0) (LNO), RuO2/SiO2/Si (1 0 0) (RuO2) and Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si (1 0 0) (Pt) bottom electrodes in a microwave furnace at 700 degrees C for 10 min. The domain structure was investigated by piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM). Although the converse piezoelectric coefficient, d(33), regardless of bottom electrode is around (similar to 40 pm/V), those over RuO2 and LNO exhibit better ferroelectric properties, higher remanent polarization (15 and 10 mu C/cm(2)), lower drive voltages (2.6 and 1.3 V) and are fatigue-free. The experimental results demonstrated that the combination of the polymeric precursor method assisted with a microwave furnace is a promising technique to obtain films with good qualities for applications in ferroelectric and piezoelectric devices. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Piezoelectric properties of Bi4Ti3O12 thin films annealed in different atmospheres

Bismuth titanate (Bi4Ti3O12-BIT) films were evaluated for use as lead-free piezoelectric thin-films in micro-electromechanical systems. The films were grown by the polymeric precursor method on Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si (1 0 0) (Pt) bottom electrodes at 700 degrees C for 2 h in static air and oxygen atmospheres. The domain structure was investigated by piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM). Annealing in static air leads to better ferroelectric properties, higher remanent polarization, lower drive voltages and higher piezoelectric coefficient. on the other hand, oxygen atmosphere favors the imprint phenomenon and reduces the piezoelectric coefficient dramatically. Impedance data, represented by means of Nyquist diagrams, show a dramatic increase in the resistivity for the films annealed in static air atmopshere. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Structural health evaluation by optimization techinique and artificial neural network

This paper presents two different approaches to detect, locate, and characterize structural damage. Both techniques utilize electrical impedance in a first stage to locate the damaged area. In the second stage, to quantify the damage severity, one can use neural network, or optimization technique. The electrical impedance-based, which utilizes the electromechanical coupling property of piezoelectric materials, has shown engineering feasibility in a variety of practical field applications. Relying on high frequency structural excitations, this technique is very sensitive to minor structural changes in the near field of the piezoelectric sensors, and therefore, it is able to detect the damage in its early stage. Optimization approaches must be used for the case where a good condensed model is known, while neural network can be also used to estimate the nature of damage without prior knowledge of the model of the structure. The paper concludes with an experimental example in a welded cubic aluminum structure, in order to verify the performance of these two proposed methodologies.

Impedance-based structural health monitoring with artificial neural networks

This paper presents a non-model based technique to detect, locate, and characterize structural damage by combining the impedance-based structural health monitoring technique with an artificial neural network. The impedance-based structural health monitoring technique, which utilizes the electromechanical coupling property of piezoelectric materials, has shown engineering feasibility in a variety of practical field applications. Relying on high frequency structural excitations (typically >30 kHz), this technique is very sensitive to minor structural changes in the near field of the piezoelectric sensors. In order to quantitatively assess the state of structures, multiple sets of artificial neural networks, which utilize measured electrical impedance signals for input patterns, were developed. By employing high frequency ranges and by incorporating neural network features, this technique is able to detect the damage in its early stage and to estimate the nature of damage without prior knowledge of the model of structures. The paper concludes with experimental examples, investigations on a massive quarter scale model of a steel bridge section and a space truss structure, in order to verify the performance of this proposed methodology.

Escape in a nonideal electro-mechanical system

In this work a particular system is investigated consisting of a pendalum whose point of support is vibrated along a horizontal guide by a two bar linkage driven from a DC motor, considered as a limited power source. This system is nonideal since the oscillatory motion of the pendulum influences the speed of the motor and vice-versa, reflecting in a more complicated dynamical process. This work comprises the investigation of the phenomena that appear when the frequency of the pendulum draws near a secondary resonance region, due to the existing nonlinear interactions in the system. Also in this domain due to the power limitation of the motor, the frequency of the pendulum can be captured at resonance modifying completely the final response of the system. This behavior is known as Sommerfield effect and it will be studied here for a nonlinear system.

Temperature and stoichiometry effect on microstructural and ferroelectric properties of Pb(Zr1-xTix)O3 thin films prepared by chemical soulution deposition

Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) solutions were prepared using a polymeric precursor method, Zr n-propoxide and Ti i-propoxide were used as starting materials with ethylene glycol and water as solvents. The PZT solution was spin-coated on Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrates, baked on a hot plate, and finally heat-treated in a tube furnace between 400 and 800°C. The surface morphology and grain size of the films were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), using a tapping mode with amplitude modulation. The films, thermal annealed at temperatures higher than 500°C, exhibited a dense microstructure, without noticeable cracks or voids. Electrical properties were investigated as a function of composition and annealing temperature.

Calcium modified lead titanate/poly-ether-ether-ketone composite for acoustic emission sensors

Composites made of calcium modified lead titanate ceramic powder and poly (ether-ether-ketone) high performance polymer matrix were prepared in the film form using a hot press. The acoustic and electromechanical properties of the composites have been determined using the ultrasonic immersion technique and piezoelectric spectroscopy, respectively. The composite film with 60 - 40 vol.% PTCa/PEEK was tested as acoustic emission detector. Preliminary results shown that the piezo composite can be used as sensor to evaluate the behavior of materials.

Experimental analysis of the effect of the structure area on the PZT-based SHM systems

The structural health monitoring (SHM) systems based on electromechanical (E/M) impedance technique have been widely investigated. Although many studies indicate the reliability of this technique, some practical considerations still have to be considered in real applications. This paper presents an experimental analysis of the effect of the structure area on the system's performance. The results indicate that the sensitivity of the system to detect damage decreases significantly when the host structure has large cross-section area. Copyright © 2009 by ASME.

Reduced calibration curve for proton computed tomography

The pCT deals with relatively thick targets like the human head or trunk. Thus, the fidelity of pCT as a tool for proton therapy planning depends on the accuracy of physical formulas used for proton interaction with thick absorbers. Although the actual overall accuracy of the proton stopping power in the Bethe-Bloch domain is about 1%, the analytical calculations and the Monte Carlo simulations with codes like TRIM/SRIM, MCNPX and GEANT4 do not agreed with each other. A tentative to validate the codes against experimental data for thick absorbers bring some difficulties: only a few data is available and the existing data sets have been acquired at different initial proton energies, and for different absorber materials. In this work we compare the results of our Monte Carlo simulations with existing experimental data in terms of reduced calibration curve, i.e. the range - energy dependence normalized on the range scale by the full projected CSDA range for given initial proton energy in a given material, taken from the NIST PSTAR database, and on the final proton energy scale - by the given initial energy of protons. This approach is almost energy and material independent. The results of our analysis are important for pCT development because the contradictions observed at arbitrary low initial proton energies could be easily scaled now to typical pCT energies. © 2010 American Institute of Physics.