Model development for high performance piezoelectric polymers

This paper addresses the development of nonlinear constitutive models for high performance piezoelectric polymers. Dielectric hysteresis and saturation nonlinearities are inherent to these compounds with the severity of the effects exacerbated by the high drive levels required for a number of current applications. The constitutive models are constructed in two steps. In the first, Debye principles are employed to model certain thermodynamic mechanisms. Losses are then incorporated through electrostatic energy principles. The properties of the resulting model are illustrated through comparison with quasistatic and low frequency PVDF data.