Single Crystals are in at Energy Harvesting & Storage Europe

Dr Harry Igbenehi
Single Crystals are in at Energy Harvesting & Storage Europe
Single Crystals are interesting materials that exhibit similar piezoelectric properties as from polycrystalline ceramics if all the weiss domains were perfectly aligned. These naturally occurring, but mostly manufactured, piezoelectric materials are fast becoming a hot topic for exploration in
energy harvesting, exhibiting 10 times as much voltage output compared with polycrystalline PZT(1) are utilized in applications where the emphasis is on high output and sensitivity. Attend IDTechEx's
Energy Harvesting & Storage conference on 15-16 May in Berlin, to find out more.
 
The Single Crystal piezoelectric material is manufactured in a high temperature crystal growth process (2). Dr Sang-Goo Lee CEO of IBULE photonics will be presenting at the Berlin show about recent developments in growing one the most versatile and yet underdeveloped single crystal piezoelectric materials PMN-PT (Lead Magnesium Niobate - Lead Titanate) and its applications in ultrasound transducers, flame detectors and the latest developments on convergence with the booming Korean automobile industry.
 
The Korean rail industry potential adoption of piezoelectric energy harvesting on the magnetic levitation rails systems, energy harvesting at least theoretically proven from the vibrations of the superconducting bogie will be discussed at length in a presentation by Daniel Song of Hanyang University. So listen out for Maxwell and Raynolds, Newton's law for superconducting electrons and the London theory.
 
PZT is still the most commonly used piezoelectric material, new developments and methods of manufacture such as screen printing thick films of PZT on micro-machined silicon will be presented by Meggit A/S, and application of these composite devices in autonomous measurement of moderate acceleration and temperature will be explored. This presentation will be delivered by Dr. Erling Ringghard of Ferroperm Piezoceramics AS part of Meggit PLC.
 
Recent commercial applications of the piezoelectric effect will be showcased in the development of what the Swiss company Algra AG describes as the "World's first wireless switch." Dynapic© Wireless and Dynasim© present on future applications of this technology as well as a curious method of creating piezoelectric devices; to have nearly no mechanical movements by using multi-layer laminate structures based on screen printed polymeric composites.
 
Also speaking at the show will be, Jean-Frederic Martin CEO of Arveni, France, who will make a business case for mechanical energy harvesting, the markets growth, prospects and maturity of micro-generation technologies for commercial and consumer applications, along with case studies.
 
There is so much to look forward to at Energy Harvesting & Storage Europe 2012 - with IDTechEx you can look to learn of recent progress, applications and deployment of piezoelectric energy harvesting. Confirmation as a viable source of electricity generation, future prospects based on verifiable research in the world's leading research laboratories, market estimates and projections including tracking of investments and returns in this sector, are a few of what you can get by being in Berlin.
 
For more information contact: r.das@IDTechEx.com
 
(1) H. Fu and R. E. Cohen, "Polarization rotation mechanism for ultrahigh electromechanical response in single-crystal piezoelectrics," NATURE-LONDON-, pp. 281-282, 2000.
(2) A. Herklotz, J. D. Plumhof, A. Rastelli, O. G. Schmidt, L. Schultz, and K. Dorr, "Electrical characterization of PMN #x2013;28%PT(001) crystals used as thin-film substrates," Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 108, no. 9, p. 094101 -094101-7, Nov. 2010