Novel photostrictive 0-3 composites: A finite element analysis

Simultaneous action of photovoltaic effect and converse piezoelectric effect will induce the photostrictive effect. In contrast to the naturally occurring photostrictive material, the present study proposes a 0-3 photostrictive composite. The current photostrictive composite comprises of poly{4,8-bis[5-(2-ethyl-hexyl) thiophen-2-yl] benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′] dithiophene-2,6-diyl-alt-3-fluoro-2-[(2-ethyl-hexyl) carbonyl] thieno[3,4-b] thiophene-4,6-diyl} (PTB7-Th) as organic photovoltaic polymer matrix and Pb(Mg_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃-0.35PbTiO₃ (PMN-35PT) as the particulates. The current study shows that the present 0-3 photostrictive composite is a suitable alternative for the most popular lead-based photostrictive material. While evaluating all the effective elastic, dielectric, piezoelectric, and pyroelectric properties of 0-3 photostrictive composite, the effect of local fluctuations was incorporated in representative volume element (RVE) using the finite element method. A finite element formulation using a degenerated shell element is derived to simulate the actuation response of the proposed 0-3 photostrictive composite. Numerical studies have been performed on cantilever and simply supported beams. The maximum tip and center deflection of cantilever beam and simply supported beam bonded with 0-3 photostrictive patch is (Formula presented.) mm and (Formula presented.) mm, respectively. The maximum value of the effective piezoelectric coefficient (Formula presented.) effective thermal expansion coefficient (Formula presented.) effective Young’s modulus (Formula presented.) and effective pyroelectric coefficient (Formula presented.) of proposed 0-3 photostrictive composite are (Formula presented.) m/V, 4.59 (Formula presented.) 1.63 (Formula presented.) N/m², and 7.57 (Formula presented.) C/m² K, respectively, obtained at 25% volume fraction of particulates. This study opens possibilities of photostrictive coupling in composites.