Three-dimensional general magneto-electro-elastic finite element model for multiphysics nonlinear analysis of layered composites

In this paper, by defining a general potential energy for the multiphase coupled multiferroics and applying the minimum energy principle, the coupled governing equations are derived. This system of equations is then discretized as a general three-dimensional (3D) finite element (FE) model based on the COMSOL software. After validating the formulation, it is then applied to the analysis and design of the common sandwich structure of multiferroics composites. Under the typical static loading, the effects of general lateral boundary conditions, material grading, nonlinearity, as well as polarization orientation on the composites are analyzed. For the magneto-electro-elastic (MEE) sandwich made of piezoelectric BaTiO3 and magnetostrictive CoFe2O4 with different stacking sequences, various interesting features are observed which should be very helpful for the design of high-performance multiphase composites.

Automated summary

In this study, a general potential energy for multiphase coupled multiferroics is defined, and the coupled governing equations are derived using the minimum energy principle. The equations are then discretized into a three-dimensional finite element model using the COMSOL software. After validation, the model is applied to analyze and design the common sandwich structure of multiferroics composites. The effects of boundary conditions, material grading, nonlinearity, and polarization orientation on the composites are analyzed under typical static loading, providing valuable insights for designing high-performance multiphase composites.