Hot properties

摘要

Nasa is backing a project to discover new high-temperature piezoelectric materials that could be used to control fuel flow in gas turbines, or act as sensors in jet engines and oil drilling equipment. Piezoelectric materials (PZs) change their shape when subjected to voltage, and are often used as sensors, accelerometers and actuators. But most known PZ materials will only work below a certain temperature. US company TRS Technologies and Penn State University hope to find materials suitable for use as PZ actuators to control fuel flow in gas turbine engines, which would 'dramatically' increase efficiency, said TRS research and development director Dr Paul Rehrig.