Electrical percolation threshold of magnetostrictive inclusions in a piezoelectric matrix composite as a function of relative particle size

EJ Barbero and AJ Bedard, COMPUTATIONAL PARTICLE MECHANICS, 5, 227-238 (2018).

DOI: 10.1007/s40571-017-0165-4

Magnetoelectric composites can be produced by embedding magnetostrictive particles in a piezoelectric matrix derived from a piezoelectric powder precursor. Ferrite magnetostrictive particles, if allowed to percolate, can short the potential difference generated in the piezoelectric phase. Modeling a magnetoelectric composite as an aggregate of bi-disperse hard shells, molecular dynamics was used to explore relationships among relative particle size, particle affinity, and electrical percolation with the goal of maximizing the percolation threshold. It is found that two factors raise the percolation threshold, namely the relative size of magnetostrictive to piezoelectric particles, and the affinity between the magnetostrictive and piezoelectric particles.

Return to Publications page