🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <92317.170747TJR122@psuvm.psu.edu> <TJR122@psuvm.psu.edu> writes:
>Hi Everybody!  My name is Tom, and I'm a student at Penn State in Electrical
>Engineering.  I was wondering if anybody knows anything about piezoelectric
>materials.  What I want to know is if it's possible to draw out an element,
>like a strand of hair, of piezoelectric material (by any process) to obtain
>a "wire" through which you could pass a (small) current causing it to move.
>
>I know that piezos VIBRATE when they get an AC current, but if you gave it
>a DC current, would it "grow" (or "shrink") in size (and stay there)?
>
>If anybody has information on this or knows where (or from whom) I can get
>such information, I'd really appreciate it.
>
I don't know if you can do this with piezos, I don't think it would be very
easy, but they can do it with metals. What I've seen are referred to as 
biometal, and it is exactly what you described. This is an alloy that was
drawn into thin wire, but it can be stretched signifigantly. When it is
heated, possibly by a current passing through it, it returns to its original
length. 

The only supplier I know of for these is Mondo-tronics. They refer to them
as Muscle Wires and sent me a 2-page flyer on them about a year ago. I've
never ordered any as they cost quite a bit. Anyway, I'd bet they would send
you this info if you call them.
  Mondo-tronics
  2476 Verna Court
  San Leandro, CA 94577
  Phone: 800-374-5764

Have fun,

Tom Erb,
tome@cs.umr.edu

  
  San Leandro, CA 
  
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