Polymer and composite polymer-ceramic nanofibers were prepared by electrospinning process. Solution of 20 wt.% polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) in a mixture of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and acetone in the ratio of 7:3 was chosen as the most suitable precursor. When preparing composite nanofibers, 20 wt.% of barium calcium zirconate titanate (BCZT) or barium titanate (BT) nanoparticles was added to this PVDF solution. Given parameters were defined as the most suitable for the process of electrospinning: voltage of 50 kV, feeding rate of 30 l/min, distance between emitter and collector of 20 cm and needle diameter of 17 G. The effect of polymer molecular weight and the rotation speed of collector was also studied. Various properties of prepared samples were studied: morphology and fiber diameter, phase composition with the use of x-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and also chosen electrical properties. Lower fiber diameters appeared with lower polymer molecular weight and higher rotation speed of the collector. These parameters resulted in higher percentage of the piezoelectric phase as well. The smallest achieved fiber diameter was around 300 nm, the highest percentage of phase was 92 % and the highest piezoelectric constant had a value of 16 pC/N. Composite fibers filled with BT particles showed better properties that the ones filled with BCZT particles.

Táto diplomová práca sa zaoberá návrhom zariadenia schopného vysoko presného merania vibrácií za použitia piezoelektrického akcelerometra. Zariadenie je určené na vyhodnocovanie zdravotného stavu strojov, najmä elektrických strojov ako elektromotor, veterná turbína a iné. Za účelom dosiahnutia vysoko presného a vysoko lineárneho merania v spektre extrémne nízkych frekvencií siahajúcich až ku jednosmerným napätím, cez sub-hertzové pásma po desiatky hertzov, ale aj vo vyšších frekvenciách, bola vyžadovaná možnosť použitia prístupu s jednosmernou väzbou zvaného "posúvanie napäťovej úrovne" a následné vyhodnotenie a porovnanie prístupu so striedavou väzbou, ktorý sa bežne používa pre pripojenie piezoelektrického akcelerometra.

The content of this thesis is about preparation and processing of lead-free piezoceramic materials with perovskite structure. Potassium sodium niobate (KNN) powder was prepared by solid state reaction (SSR) and liquid phase reaction (sol-gel reaction). The powders were formed by uniaxial and isostatic pressing and further sintered. The density, grain size and morphology were determined on the sintered samples. The powder, synthesised by SSR and sintered in a conventional furnace, was chosen as a standard. The maximum density achieved on samples after optimization of sintering cycle was 93 %TD. The sintering optimization involved a homogenization step at 950 °C, which promotes the correct development of the phase composition and microstructure, followed by sintering at 1120 °C. The same approach and sintering cycle were used for sintering the samples, prepared by sol-gel synthesis. The maximum density of the samples prepared by sol-gel reaction and sintered in a conventional way, was 92 %TD. For further comparison, both of the synthesised powders were sintered using SPS (spark plasma sintering), which increased their final density up to 97 %TD. The approximate value of the piezoelectric coefficient d33 (pC/N) has been measured on selected SSR samples with pure phase composition ((K0,5Na0,5)NbO3). The best measured value of d33 was around 100 pC/N.

Tato diplomová práce je zaměřena na analýzu chování magnetopiezoelastického kmitajícího nosníku. V teoretické části jsou odvozeny diskretizované parametry, které popisují reálnou soustavu jako model s jedním stupněm volnosti. Tento model je následně použit pro kvalitativní i kvantitativní analýzu chování tohoto harvesteru. Frekvenční odezva harmonicky buzeného systému je zkoumána v dvouparametrické nebo tříparametrické analýze v závislosti na amplitudě buzení, elektrické zátěži a vzdálenosti mezi magnety. Posledně zmíněný parametr je v práci tím hlavním, proto je vliv vzdálenosti magnetů zkoumán také s pomocí bifurkačních diagramů. Tyto diagramy byly navíc použity k vytvoření oscilační "mapy", která pro každé zatěžovací podmínky ukazuje, jakou vzdálenost magnetů je třeba nastavit, aby bylo generováno nejvíce energie. Práce je doplněna o ukázky několika jevů, které mohou značně ovlivnit chování systému, pokud se nejdená o čistě harmonické buzení.

The doctoral thesis discusses the measurement of parameters of piezoelectric (PZT) materials and the influence of temperature on their stability. In the introductory sections, the author briefly explains the piezoelectric effect and its use; simultaneously, methods for the preparation of piezoelectric materials and the measurement of their properties are presented to illustrate the analyzed problem. The experimental part of the thesis describes the procedure of measuring and calculating the complete matrix of material coefficients from samples of PZT ceramics. The applied set of piezoelectric samples complying with relevant European and world standards was made in the form of thin plates, thin discs and cylinders, via gradual modification of the large disc. The NCE51 and/or the older PCM51 ceramics obtained from the company Noliac Ceramics were used in determining the complete matrix and describing the measurement method. Both these types are soft piezoceramics composed from a solid solution of lead zirconate and lead titanate with the general chemical formula of Pb(Zr1-x,Tix)O3. The real crystallographic structure and chemical composition of the samples were confirmed by X-ray diffraction spectroscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), respectively. The frequency method was used for the measurement and calculation of all material coefficients. An Agilent 4294A impedance analyzer and a set of measuring tweezers marketed as “Tweezers Contact Test Fixture 16334A” were used in the process. Fast determination of the entire matrix of coefficients without any special requirement for the preparation of the samples to be measured was tested and verified. The charge coefficients of the piezoelectric material were confirmed by direct methods including the laser interferometer technique, the vibrometric method, and the procedure utilizing changes of the force applied to the sample. The advantages and disadvantages of the methods were compared and defined based on measurements and their results. The main part of thesis was focused on the behavior of piezoelectric material at high temperatures near the Curie point. Depolarization performed by means of a high temperature approaching the Curie point constitutes a significant yet hardly measurable material property of PZT ceramics. Commonly available vibrometric methods (d33-meters) do not appear to be suitable for the measurement of temperature dependencies, and for that reason the frequency technique was used. The piezoelectric charge coefficient, whose value can be effectively measured via the above-discussed frequency method, was selected as the indicator showing the depolarization state in the applied piezoelectric ceramics. The accuracy of the procedure was verified via comparison of the vibrometric method in cylinders of the NCE51 ceramics with different sizes, which are designed for the longitudinal length mode. The result is an optimized measurement methodology which facilitates accurate determination of the Curie temperature, namely phase transition to the cubic crystallographic structure. The experiment also proved the applicability of progressive, controlled depolarization of PZT ceramics via high temperature, and it also enabled us to define the temperature limits at which there occur irreversible changes of the piezoelectric properties of piezoceramics. In the measured NCE51 and PCM51 materials, the limit for the irreversible changes was equal to 95% of the Curie temperature.

The main objective of the presented thesis is to contribute to the development of diagnostic methods for piezoelectric sensor testing. The thesis describes the methods for piezoelectric sensors microcracks identification and diagnostics. The core of the thesis presents the development of a knock sensor prototype, design of suitable methods for the knock sensors diagnosis and evaluation of developed methods with focus on detection of microcracks in the sensor piezoceramic. The last part of the thesis deals with the influence of cracks and splits on the measured data from the piezoelectric transducer. The presented methods are focusing on impedance measurements and sensors frequency response measurements. Known properties of used piezoelectric material as an information source for measurement and diagnosis are provided. The main result of the work is the evaluation of the methods developed for the piezoelectric sensors self-diagnosis.

This thesis deals with theoretical description of fiber-optic angular velocity sensors, or gyroscopes, and further with design and construction of own sensor of this type. The theoretical part describes problematics of interferometric and resonant fiber-optic gyroscopes. Basic principles and physical limits are described for both types. The main focus is then put on analysis of possible conceptions of these sensors. Solutions using different optical configurations as well as various modulation and signal processing schemes are discussed. The practical part deals with design and construction of own interferometric fiber-optic gyroscope in closed-loop configuration. The gyroscope utilizes all-fiber components including piezoelectric phase modulator and unexpensive single-mode fiber, which are commonly used only for open-loop configurations. To realize closed-loop operation, special modulation scheme based on fully harmonic signal was develeped, which yields linear output within wide dynamic range. This type of modulation requires high level of synchronization achieved by using a field-programmable gate array module. The gyroscope utilizes powerful broadband fiber source, polarizer and Lyot depolarizer which ensure good reciprocity of whole architecture. The parameters of the sensor, obtained by measurement, are even comparable to some sensors using PM fiber, which is much more expensive.

The aim of this diploma thesis is to describe localization and calculation load identification of dynamic systems using piezoelectric sensors. Finding methods, which would allow us to evaluate loads on simple systems is the key to their application in the structural health monitoring of more complex systems. A theory necessary for understanding and application in aerospace, civil engineering, automobile industry, and train traffic of presented methods is given in the first part of the thesis. In these applications, the methods of wave propagation and different types of neural network methods are used to evaluate load identification. It is possible to evaluate loads by using a time reverse method, a method based on signal deconvolution, and a method based on a voltage amplitude ratio of the piezoelectric sensor. In the next part, the methods are described, the suitable place for gluing of a sensor, and the number of sensors for using method is given. These methods were verified and compared to a simple experimental system. In the following part, the model of the piezoelectric sensor is presented. It is possible to use the model for calculating voltage output from the strain. For methods verification, the problem of train passage in a specific place of the railway is chosen. The speed of the train and its load on the railway was calculated by using these methods.

The master’s thesis deals with the piezoelectric coefficients, the resonance frequency and especially the piezoelectric constants verification. With the assistance of several devices, for instance LCR-meter HIOKI 3532, impedance analyzer Agilent 4294A and LCR-meter Agilent E4980A, the resonance and the anti-resonance frequencies as well as impedance and capacitance of samples are measured. The paper opens with the theory of the piezoelectric phenomenon and the difference between direct and indirect piezoelectric phenomenon, it also describes the basic behaviour of a piezoelectric ceramic element during mechanical straining or applied voltage. Further, the paper concerns the description of various piezoelectric constants and their calculations. Subsequent part of the paper is devoted to the temperature dependence of the main piezoelectric parameters of PZT ceramics. The materials coefficients are delineated as a function of temperature of the piezoelectric charge coefficients dij, relative permittivity r, electromechanical coupling factor kij and frequency constants Ni. One of the chapters also determines the piezoelectric charge constant d33 of PZT ceramics by laser interferometer and compares it with the value measured by resonance methods. The surface displacement was measured by a single-beam interferometer Polytec OFV-5000. The results of measurements of piezoelectric charge coefficients d33 acquired by the first and the second method are identical. The last section of the paper is focused on different methods of experimental studies on the characteristics of heat transfer by diffusing heat through conduction between the silver-plated surface of cylinder made of PZT ceramics. The effect on the resonance and the anti-resonance frequencies is monitored. There after, the real heat, determined by thermo camera and the physical model of heat transfer created in program COMSOL Multiphysics, is analysed.