Piezoelectric array for transducer application using additive manufacturing

Abstract

Piezoelectric ceramic and the corresponding array are widely used in energy harvesting and ultrasonic application for the capabilities of converting compressive/tensile stresses to an electric charge, or vice versa. However, the need for a complex geometry of array is a major technical challenge for further application. To enable the fabrication of piezoelectric ceramics, additive manufacturing (AM) processes (3D printing technology) is expect. In this study, we propose a Mask-Image-Projection-based Stereolithography (MIP-SL) technology to print piezoelectric-composite slurry with BaTiO3 particles into different arrays. After post-process, the printed arrays display piezoelectric properties that can be used in ultrasonic application.