Analytically Evaluating the Properties and Performance of Layered Magnetoelectric Composites

A theoretical model has been developed for predicting the magnetoelectric (M-E) coupling effect of magnetostrictive-piezoelectric layered composites (MPLC). This model determines the individual effects of MPLC configurations and material properties on the homogenized M-E voltage coefficient, α ^' , curves. By analyzing the model, a 3D α ^' sequencing map covering the span of compliance, Poisson's ratio, and piezomagnetic coefficient ratio q ₃₃ /q ₃₁ of the magnetostrictive phases is generated to aid the MPLC design. Six MPLC configurations are addressed in this study, including three field orientations, longitudinal, transverse, and in-plane, in both 1D and 2D geometries. Results show that the piezoelectric volume fraction required for achieving the maximum M-E effect is dependent upon the compliance. Higher compliance values cause the α ^' peaks to be attenuated, as well as shifted to lower piezoelectric volume fractions. This study also investigates the influence of the piezomagnetic coefficient q ₃₃ and the ratio q ₃₃ /q ₃₁ on α ^' . For a constant ratio q ₃₃ /q ₃₁ , larger q ₃₃ -values increase α ^' . However, changing this ratio alters the relative ordering of the α ^' -values for each of the six MPLC configurations studied. This demonstrates that the ratio q ₃₃ /q ₃₁ strongly influences the selection of the MPLC configurations to produce the largest M-E coupling effect. By integrating the results from this model into 3D α ^' sequencing map, the ideal MPLC configuration with the highest M-E coupling effect can be predicted for all possible MPLC magnetostrictive phases.