Energy-storage properties and electrocaloric effects of Pb(1-3x/2)LaxZr0.85Ti0.15O3 antiferroelectric thick films

1-µm-Pb(1-3x/2)LaxZr0.85Ti0.15O3 (PLZT) antiferroelectric (AFE) thick films with x = 0.08, 0.10, 0.12, and 0.14 were deposited on LaNiO3/Si (100) substrates by a sol-gel method. The dielectric properties, energy-storage performance, electrocaloric effect, and leakage current behavior were investigated in detail. With increasing La content, dielectric constant and saturated polarizations of the thick films were gradually decreased. A maximum recoverable energy-storage density of 38 J/cm3 and efficiency of 71% were achieved in the thick films with x = 0.12 at room temperature. Moreover, a large reversible adiabatic temperature change ∆T = 25.0 o C was presented in the thick films with x = 0.08 at 127 o C at 990 kV/cm. All the samples had a lower leakage current density below 10- 6 A/cm2 at room temperature. These results indicated that the PLZT AFE thick films could be a potential candidate for applications in high energy-storage density capacitors and cooling devices

A giant electrocaloric effect of a Pb0.97La0.02(Zr0.75Sn0.18Ti0.07)O3 antiferroelectric thick film at room temperature

A 2-µm-Pb0.97La0.02(Zr0.75Sn0.18Ti0.07)O3 (PLZST) antiferroelectric (AFE) thick film with tetragonal structure was deposited on LaNiO3/Si (100) substrates via a sol-gel technique. The electrocaloric effect (ECE) of the PLZST thick film is investigated under the functions of external electric field and temperature. Giant ECEs (∆T = 53.8 oC and ∆S = 63.9 J·K-1·kg-1) are received at 5 oC, which is attributed to a field-induced AFE to ferroelectric (FE) phase transition. Moreover, a large ∆T of above 30 oC is remains at temperature range from 5 oC to 25 oC. The maximum electrocaloric coefficient (ξmax = 0.060 K·cm/kV) and refrigeration efficiency (COP = 18) of the film are also obtained at 5 oC. At room temperature, the values of ∆T, ∆S, COP and ξmax are 35.0 oC, 39.0 J·K-1·kg-1, 14 and 0.039 K·cm/kV at 900 kV/cm, respectively. The AFE thick films with giant ECEs are promising candidates for applications in cooling systems at room temperature

Enhanced energy-storage performance and electrocaloric effect in compositionally graded Pb(1−3x/2)LaxZr0.85Ti0.15O3 antiferroelectric thick films

The compositionally graded multilayer Pb(1−3x/2)LaxZr0.85Ti0.15O3 (PLZT) antiferroelectric (AFE) thick films were deposited on LaNiO3/Si (100) substrates by using a sol–gel method. The effect of gradient sequence on dielectric properties, energy-storage performance, and electrocaloric effect (ECE) was investigated in detail. It is found that the compositionally graded films exhibited a significant enhancement in dielectric properties, energy-storage performance and ECE, which was, in contrast to the single-composition PLZT film, contributed by the strain and the gradient of polarization near the interfaces between the adjacent layers. A recoverable energy-storage density of 44 J/cm3 and efficiency of 71% was obtained in the up-graded PLZT AFE thick film at 1950 kV/cm. A giant reversible adiabatic temperature change of ∆T=28 °C at room temperature at 900 kV/cm was also achieved in the up-graded film. Moreover, all the thick films displayed a small leakage current density below 10−6 A/cm2 at room temperature. Thus, the compositionally graded PLZT AFE thick films with a large recoverable energy-storage density and a giant ECE could be a potential candidate for the applications in high energy-storage density capacitors and cooling devices

Phase structure tuned electrocaloric effect and pyroelectric energy harvesting performance of (Pb0.97La0.02)(Zr,Sn,Ti)O3 antiferroelectric thick films

In present work, (100)-oriented (Pb0.97La0.02)(Zr0.95-xSnxTi0.05)O3 antiferroelectric thick films with x=0.08, 0.20 and 0.38, were successfully fabricated. These compositions are located in orthorhombic phase region, the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB), and tetragonal phase region, respectively. The effects of their phase structure on the electrocaloric effect and the pyroelectric energy harvesting behavior were investigated. A considerable temperature reduction of ∆T=13, 33, and 27 oC, due to the ferroelectric-antiferroelectric phase transition, was obtained at 25 oC in these thick films for x=0.08, 0.20, and 0.38, respectively. Moreover, a huge harvested energy density per cycle of W= 3.6, 6.8, and 4.0 J/cm3 was also realized under the experimental condition in the thick films with x=0.08, 0.20, and 0.38, respectively. These results indicated that both the cooling performance and the pyroelectric energy harvesting in antiferroelectrics could be optimized by the proper phase structure control

Experimental and numerical study of boundary and anchorage effect on laminated glass windows under blast loading

Over the years extensive studies have been conducted to analyze the response of laminated glass panes under blast loading for personnel and property protection. The failure modes of glass windows in most of those studies are related to flexural bending of the glass panel. The problems of laminated glass failure at boundaries along window frames, as well as the influences of window frame constrain effect and the interlayer anchorage on the overall response of laminated glass panels are less examined. In this paper, experimental and numerical studies are carried out to examine the boundary conditions and interlayer anchorages of laminated glass windows on their responses under blast loadings. Blast tests were designed and conducted on window specimens with different frame bite depths, fixed or sliding boundaries and different interlayer anchorages. Numerical model of laminated glass windows is also developed. The accuracy of the numerical model in prediction of glass window responses is verified by field blast testing results. The validated numerical model is used to perform intensive simulations to study the window boundary conditions and interlayer anchorage measures on glass window responses to blast loadings. The results demonstrate that properly designed window frame and interlayer anchorage will increase the survivability of laminated glass windows under blast loadings

Experimental study of laminated glass window responses under impulsive and blast loading

Laminated glass panes are widely adopted as blast-resistant glass windows to mitigate the hazard from ejecting fractured glass fragments. The response of laminated glass windows under blast loads is often predicted by equivalent static analysis or simplified equivalent single degree of freedom (SDOF) analysis. The equivalent SDOF and equivalent static analyses are also respectively adopted in UFC and ASTM design guide for glass window designs. Owing to the inherent problems, the SDOF analysis can only predict the global responses of glass windows and the predictions are not necessarily always satisfactory. Therefore the accuracy and applicability of the SDOF analysis is sometimes questioned. Often numerical simulations and/or experimental tests have to be carried out for reliable predictions of laminated glass window responses to blast loads. In this study, experimental tests on laminated glass windows subjected to impact and blast loads were carried out to evaluate the accuracy of available analyses and design methods. Pendulum impact tests were conducted first on laminated panes of various thicknesses. Full-scale field blast tests were performed on laminated glass windows of dimension 1.5 m × 1.2 m. Glass pane deflections were monitored by mechanical linear voltage displacement transducer (LVDT) and high-speed cameras. The responses of the tested windows are compared with the estimations of SDOF models and design standards in this paper. Available blast testing data by other researchers are also included together with the current testing data to evaluate the accuracy of the SDOF and equivalent static analyses defined in the design guides. The adequacy of these simplified approaches in predicting laminated glass window responses to blast loads is discussed

Dynamic material model of annealed soda-lime glass

Glass is an omnipresent material which is widely used as façade in buildings. Damage of glass windows and the associated glass fragments induced by impact and blast loads impose great threats to people in the vicinity. Much effort has been directed towards understanding glass material properties, and modeling of glass window responses to impact and blast loads. For reliable predictions of glass structure performances under dynamic loadings, an accurate dynamic constitutive model of annealed float glass, which is commonly used for glass windows, is therefore needed. In current practice, the Johnson-Holmquist Ceramic (JH2) model is most commonly used in simulating glass plate responses to impact and blast loads. In this study, the accuracy of the JH2 model in modeling annealed float glass material, especially at high strain rate is examined in detail. Static compressive tests and dynamic compressive tests using Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) are carried out on soda-lime glass specimens sampled from commercially used annealed float glass panes.These testing results are used together with the authors' previous testing data and data reported by other researchers in the literature to determine the constitutive constants for the JH2 model, including Equation of State (EOS), strength criterion and strain-rate effect. The JH2 model with new material constants is then programmed in commercial code LS-DYNA. To verify the model, it is used to simulate a SHPB compressive test on a 15 mm by 15 mm (diameter by length) glass specimen, a field blasting test on a laminated glass window of 1.5 m by 1.2 m in dimension, and a full-scale laboratory windborne debris impact test on a laminated glass window. The simulation results demonstrate that the JH2 model with the new material constants for annealed glass gives good predictions of glass material and glass window responses to impact and blast loads

Improved analysis for impact response prediction of reinforced concrete structures considering stress wave propagation and time dependent shape function

In the design of reinforced concrete (RC) structures subjected to impulsive loading, usually an equivalent Single-Degree-of-Freedom (SDOF) system is derived based on a constant deflection shape assumption corresponding to static-loading condition. It is commonly known that this idealized assumption may not necessarily lead to accurate predictions of structural responses. This paper presents an improved analytical approach to predict the dynamic response of RC beams with consideration of stress wave propagation effect in the beam in the initial stage upon impact load application, and time-dependent shape function for SDOF analysis. The response of a structural component is divided into two phases: local response phase which is calculated using governing equations of stress wave propagations; and global response phase analyzed using the equivalent SDOF systems with considerations of time-dependent deformation shapes. Laboratory drop-weight impact tests are performed on RC beams, which are used to validate the developed method. Further validation is carried out against existing testing results by other researchers, demonstrating the proposed approach offers more accurate predictions of RC beam responses under impact loading compared to the conventional SDOF method

Improved electrocaloric effect in (100)-oriented Pb0.97La0.02(Zr0.57Sn0.38Ti0.05)O3 antiferroelectric thick film by interface engineering

In this work, 1.5-μm Pb0.97La0.02(Zr0.57Sn0.38Ti0.05)O3 antiferroelectric thick films with and without a ZrO2 thin layer were deposited on LaNiO3(100)/Si(100) substrates. The effects of ZrO2 thin layer on the microstructure, electrical properties, and especial electrocaloric effect of the antiferroelectric films were studied in detail. Although the films both with and without ZrO2 buffer layer displayed (100)-preferred orientation, possessed dense and uniform surface microstructure, the ZrO2-buffered films have an enlarged grain size by 27%, compared with the thick films without the buffer layer. Accordingly, the dielectric constant and saturate polarization of this antiferroelectric thick films was improved by the insertion of ZrO2 thin layer, and simultaneously its leakage current was slightly reduced. As a result, a great improvement in cooling character caused by ferroelectric–antiferroelectric phase switching, was realized in the ZrO2-buffered films

Application of elastic metamaterials/meta-structures in civil engineering: A review

Inspired by sonic engineering, locally resonant metamaterials have attracted much attention from researchers in civil engineering for their unique characteristics of stress wave attenuation and vibration control capacities. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the latest progress of locally resonant metamaterials and their potential applications in civil engineering for structure protection against dynamic loads. The concepts of metamaterials for stress wave attenuation are introduced first, followed by a comprehensive overview of the historical origins and development of metamaterials. Existing analytical approaches for metamaterials, including theoretical solutions, numerical simulations, and experimental examinations, are summarised. Commonly used meta-structures with internal or external resonators and their applications are reviewed and discussed. Research gaps and future outlooks are also identified and briefed