Electromechanical response of polycarbonate-CNT/PZT laminates subjected to cyclic bending

This paper deals with the electromechanical behaviour of polymer-carbon nanotube (CNT)/piezoelectric laminates under cyclic bending. The laminate was fabricated using thin polycarbonate-multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT) and lead zirconate titanate (PZT) layers. The three-point bending tests were performed on the polycarbonate-MWNT/PZT laminates, and the output voltage due to cyclic mechanical loads was measured. The output power was then calculated, and the dependence of the output power on the nanotube content, material dimensions and loading conditions (e.g., frequency) was discussed in detail. It was found that there is an optimum value of the nanotube content for which the output power is maximised.