Smart Material - Home of the MFC
The Macro Fiber Composite™ (MFC) is the leading low-profile actuator and sensor offering high performance, flexibility and reliability in a cost- competitive device. The MFC was invented by NASA in 1999. In 2002, Smart Material started commercializing this invention worldwide as NASA's licensed manufacturer and distributor. Since then, the MFC has been continuously improved and customized to fit customers’ specific needs and to meet the requirements for new applications. In 2021 we counted more than 1,300 MFC publications worldwide, documenting various applications, MFC properties and reliability.
Benefits and Features:
- Flexible, durable and reliable
- Increased strain actuator efficiency
- Directional actuation and sensing
- Damage-tolerant
- Available as elongator (d33 mode) and contractor (d31 mode)
- Conforms to surfaces
- Readily embeddable
- Environmentally sealed package
- Demonstrated performance
- Different piezo ceramic materials available
The MFC consists of rectangular piezo ceramic rods sandwiched between layers
of adhesive, electrodes, and polyimide film.
The electrodes are attached to the film in
an interdigitated pattern which transfers
the applied voltage 
directly to and from the
ribbon-shaped rods. This assembly enables
in-plane poling, actuation, and sensing
in a sealed and durable, ready-to-use
package. The MFC can also be applied (normally bonded) as a thin, surface-conformable
sheet to various types of structures, or embedded
in a composite structure.
If voltage is applied, it works as an actuator and will bend or distort
materials, counteract vibrations, or generate
vibrations. If no voltage is applied it can work as
a very sensitive strain gauge, sensing
deformations, noise, and vibrations. The MFC is also an excellent device to harvest energy from vibrations.
The MFC is available in d33 and d31 operational mode, a unique feature of the Macro Fiber Composite.
MFC P1 type (d33 effect), Elongator
The P1 type MFCs, including the F1 and S1 types, utilize the d33 effect for actuation and will elongate up to 1800ppm if operated at the maximum voltage rate of -500V to +1500V. The P1 type MFCs are also very sensitive strain sensors.
MFC P2 and P3 type (d31 effect), Contractor
The P2 type MFCs are also available as fully assembled Cantilevers for PEH applications.
The P3 type MFC is comprised of very wide fibers, which yields an orthotropic, monolithic piezo ceramic plate like behavior compared with the P2-type. This also causes the P3 type MFC to be less flexible than the P2 or P1 type MFCs.
Overview of Typical Properties
| Max. blocking force | 28N to 1kN depending on width of MFC |
| Max. operating voltage | P1, S1, F1: -500V to +1500V P2, P3: -60V to 360V P2 Single Crystal: 0V to 500V |
| Max. operating frequency | Actuator: 10kHz
Sensor, Harvester <1MHz |
| Typical lifetime | Actuator: 10E+9 cycles Sensor: 10E+11 cycles (< 400ppm) Harvester:10E+10 cycles (< 600ppm) |
| Typical thickness | 300µm, 12mil |
| Typical capacitance | P1, S1, F1: 2nF to 12nF P2, P3: 25nF to 200nF |
