ABSTRACT

Piezoelectric materials are used in many applications. These can be physically deformed when an electric field is applied to them and vice versa.  This work focuses on characterizing potassium sodium tartrate tetrahydrate, also called Rochelle Salt, which is water soluble and easy to make from ingredients available in grocery stores.   We report synthesis and electrical response of Rochelle salt in the frequency range of 20 to 100 Hz.  A number of concentrations and purity were used to tune the lattice structure of the piezoelectric material.  There is an opportunity to enhance the piezoelectric properties with the introduction of novel “green” dopants like fungus, gelatin, and zinc oxide to maximize the amount of energy that can be produced with the minimum amount of vibration in the target frequency.