Development of a novel electrochemically active membrane and 'smart' material based vibration sensor/damper

A vibration sensor/damper was constructed on the basis of a novel 'smart' material developed from a metallized ionomer membrane called Nafion, which, when supplied with electrodes, can sense mechanical vibrations and generate a voltage response. The electroded Nafion has a unique vibrational damping property. Damping with this material was achieved by dissipating the electrical energy generated as heat. A prototype accelerometer cell developed using Nafion membrane showed excellent linear characteristics and high sensitivity. (I.S.)