Low-temperature co-fired multilayer piezoelectric actuator
This technology creates high-performance piezoelectric ceramic components — materials that convert electrical signals into precise mechanical movement and vice versa — by combining two manufacturing techniques: textured grain growth and low-temperature co-firing. The result is a multilayer ceramic stack with built-in metal electrodes that can be fired at 925°C, low enough to use inexpensive silver instead of costly platinum or palladium. The performance gains are dramatic: up to 15 times better electromechanical output than conventional ceramics, at one-third the driving voltage. The same process also produces magnetoelectric composites, which respond to both magnetic and electric fields — useful in sensors and energy harvesting.
What you could build
Drop-in multilayer piezoelectric stacks for precision actuators, ultrasonic transducers, or vibration energy harvesters — sold as components to medical device OEMs, industrial automation suppliers, or defense sensor manufacturers seeking higher performance at lower cost.
Who in Virginia should care
Defense and aerospace primes with Virginia operations (e.g., Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, BAE Systems) developing sonar, vibration sensors, or precision actuators would be natural licensing targets.
Readiness: Lab validated
Concept — described but not yet demonstrated. Lab validated — supported by experimental results in the patent. Prototype likely — the text describes a built, working embodiment.
Readiness is inferred from the patent text, not from a lab visit.
The record
- Inventors
- Yongke Yan, Shashank Priya
- Granted
- March 5, 2019
- Status
- Granted patent
- Patent number
- 10224476
Ready to talk?
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties handles licensing for this technology.
Prosim summaries are generated from public patent text and are not legal advice.