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Material Improves Sonar Acoustic Performance

Morgan Technical Ceramics (MTC) introduces its piezoelectric composite components for use in increasing the acoustic performance of military and commercial sonar receiver applications. Components manufactured with MTC’s piezocomposite materials offer significant improvements over traditional transducer materials.

MTC’s piezoelectric composite material, consisting of a ferroelectric ceramic in an electrically-inactive polymer matrix, is specifically formulated with high coupling values and high dielectric properties. Combining the piezoelectric ceramic with polymer filler results in a material with an overall density that better matches the medium through which the sound waves travel. This leads to lower acoustic impedance, higher energy transfer through water, and a lower reverberation level on the front face of the acoustic device.

The materials reduce the cross coupling that typically occurs between different modes in the ceramic of conventional transducers, enabling sonar components to respond more precisely and predictably. In addition, components manufactured with MTC’s piezoelectric composite materials reduce spurious activity, offering higher transmit and receive efficiency. They also provide lower acoustic impedance and improved transducer bandwidth compared to those made only of conventional piezoelectric ceramics.

MTC offers piezoelectric composites in 1-3 and 2-2 architectures, in sizes up to 1.5” square and frequencies from 100 kHz to 12 MHz. Piezoelectric volume fractions can be tailored for any application to enhance transmit and receive response rates.

The piezocomposites offer increased design flexibility, because they can be thermoformed to conform to curved, complex geometric surfaces to which conventional piezoceramic materials often cannot be shaped. MTC offers piezoelectric composites in both standard and custom materials, including types I, II, VI and single crystal lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate (PMN-PT).

For further information please visit www.morganelectroceramics.com or contact +44 (0) 1978 810456 for European / Asian enquiries or +1 (440) 232 8600 for USA / Australasia enquiries.