Ferroelectric Nylon-7, -11 Ultrasonic Transducer Performance

• Main Authors: Brown, L. F, Mason, J. L, Khataniar, D, Scheinbeim, J. I, Newman, B. A
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acoustic Detection and Detectors; ACOUSTIC PROPERTIES; BROADBAND; COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION; CURVE FITTING; DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES; ECHOES; ELECTROACOUSTIC TRANSDUCERS; FERROELECTRIC MATERIALS; INSERTION LOSS; Medical Facilities, Equipment and Supplies; NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING; NYLON; NYLON 7; PERFORMANCE(ENGINEERING); RESONANT FREQUENCY; ULTRASONICS

Measurements of the high frequency electrical and acoustic properties of ferroelectric nylon 7 and 11 are reported for frequency and temperature ranges of interest for ultrasonic transducer applications in medicine and nondestructive testing. The dielectric properties of the samples were measured over a broadband frequency range (typically 1-100 MHz), including the fundamental half-wave resonance frequency for the sample, and the properties of interest for ultrasound transducer design were determined using a curve fitting resonance technique. These properties were then used in a computer simulation program to assess the acoustic performance of nylon based ultrasonic transducers and compare them with PVDF and P(VDF-TrFE) copolymer designs. Comparisons were carried out on the pulse echo acoustic performance including pulse width, sensitivity, insertion loss, and bandwidth. Finally, a nylon ultrasound transducer was fabricated for pulse echo acoustic performance measurements and comparison with PVDF. Tests verified the broadband acoustic performance of nylon 7.