APPLICATION OF MECHANICAL WAVES INDUCED BY PIEZOFILMS TO MARINE FOULING PREVENTION

The complete set of equations for describing the mechanical and electr ical behavior of a piezoelectric medium is given. From these equations , the electromechanical equations describing the dynamical behavior of PVDFs and their mounting plate are derived. The electromechanical equ ations are used to explain antifouling process with the PVDFs as actua tors. The transverse displacement is calculated using the electromecha nical equations and compared with the experimental results. A comparis on of the transverse displacement of the plate as a function of the ap plied PVDF voltage with the corresponding experimental case shows a go od agreement. First, the optimal acceleration necessary for the antifo uling marine prevention is found to be approximately 0.2 g by optical spectroscopy. Second, the activation energy and cycle of the PVDF actu ators are determined.