LAURA SMARRITO

Rochelle Salt exhibits a piezoelectric response: it produces a voltage when subject to deformation.  The magnitude of such response is dependent both on the magnitude of the deformation and the relative orientation of the deformation with respect to the crystal axis. Thus, information about an impact can be extracted from the piezoelectric response. 

The piezoelectric response of Rochelle salt under quasi-static loading has been well characterized, but there is little or no data available on the piezo electric response under dynamic loading. Characterizing piezoelectric response under dynamic loading could be particularly useful in military, space, and ballistics applications, where trajectories of impacting objects are important.

​

Working within the Dynamic Multifunctional Materials Lab, I grew single crystal Rochelle salt, identified crystal axes,  and prepared samples  for testing. I assisted in the commission of dynamic loading tests using a Kolsky-Split Hopkinson Bar. At the completion of the project, I created and illustrated a lab guide for growing crystals, and a research poster summarizing the project.