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From: commgrp@silver.bacs.indiana.edu
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Piezoelectric sheeting?
Message-ID: <24300003@silver>
Date: Tue, 10-Mar-87 10:11:00 EST
Article-I.D.: silver.24300003
Posted: Tue Mar 10 10:11:00 1987
Date-Received: Wed, 11-Mar-87 05:16:14 EST
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Organization: Indiana University BACS, Bloomington
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Nf-From: silver.bacs.indiana.edu!commgrp    Mar 10 10:11:00 1987




KYNAR (tm) piezoelectric film is manufactured by 

KYNAR Piezo Film Group
Pennwalt Corporation
900 First Avenue
King of Prussia, PA 19406
ph: (215) 337-6710

An experimenter's kit is available for $45, which contains 4" x 5" and
1" x 3" samples of piezo film, connectors, a book describing its
physics, instructions for five experiments, and price list.  It costs 18
to 75 cents per square centimeter, depending on thicknes.  Several
asortments are available.

It looks like "space blanket."  The plastic film is coated with aluminum
(other metals available), to which connections are made.  Both pieces
emit loud sound when connected to a laboratory signal-generator at 10
kHz; low-frequency response requires coupling to mechanical resonators.
I've heard that this stuff was "top secret" for a time because of its
military sonar applications.  It "exhibits the highest piezo and
pyroelectric activity of any known polymer... converts pressure into
electrical signal, voltage proportional to the stress applied.
Conversely, it transforms an electrical signal into mechanical motion.
It's dimensional change...makes it useful...as speakers.  ...Piezo film
is also pyroelectric, converting thermal energy into electricity...so
sensitive that it can detect heat from the human body up to 50 feet
away."   See article in SENSORS magazine, May 1986. 

I've also seen references to piezo film being used as touch-sensors in
robotics.

Frank Reid
PO Box 5283
Bloomington, IN 47402

reid@gold.bacs.indiana.edu