Piezoceramic fibers, such as lead zirconate titanate (PZT) fibers, dispersed in viscoelastic polymer matrix form an active composite which can be used as sensor, actuator, or energy harvester. We discuss electromechanical coupling and time-dependent effects in active materials and micromechanical models for predicting effective time-dependent properties of active composites. Finally, we present an application of using active composites to control deformation in load-bearing structural components. 2011 Woodhead Publishing Limited. All rights reserved.
