An all-organic composite actuator material with a high dielectric constant

Abstract

Electroactive polymers (EAPs) can behave as actuators, changing their shape in response to electrical stimulation. EAPs that are controlled by external electric fields--referred to here as field-type EAPs--include ferroelectric polymers, electrostrictive polymers, dielectric elastomers and liquid crystal polymers. Field-type EAPs can exhibit fast response speeds, low hysteresis and strain levels far above those of traditional piezoelectric materials, with elastic energy densities even higher than those of piezoceramics. However, these polymers also require a high field (>70 V micro m(-1)) to generate such high elastic energy densities (>0.1 J cm(-3); refs 4, 5, 9, 10). Here we report a new class of all-organic field-type EAP composites, which can exhibit high elastic energy densities induced by an electric field of only 13 V micro m(-1). The composites are fabricated from an organic filler material possessing very high dielectric constant dispersed in an electrostrictive polymer matrix. The composites can exhibit high net dielectric constants while retaining the flexibility of the matrix. These all-organic actuators could find applications as artificial muscles, 'smart skins' for drag reduction, and in microfluidic systems for drug delivery.

Polyamide 11/Poly(vinylidene fluoride)/Vinyl Acetate-Maleic Anhydride Copolymer as Novel Blends Flexible Materials for Capacitors

“…Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and its polymeric composites, as the typical polymers of electric properties [1][2][3][4], have been widely studied in piezoelectricity and dielectric property since the discovery of their electric properties [5,6]. In early reports, inorganic-polymer composites such as Piezoelectric OPEN ACCESS lead zirconate titanate (PZT)/PVDF composite have been developed, and much attention has been paid to the dielectric properties studies [7][8][9][10].…”

Fabrication of Ag/PVA nanocomposites and their potential applicability as dielectric layer in thin film capacitor

“…(1) AgNO 3 solutions of different concentrations were prepared by dissolving AgNO 3 powder in distilled water. The mixture is stirred at room temperature in magnetic stirrer.…”

“…Metal-polymer nanocomposite materials have received increasing interest recently in view of potential applications including gate dielectrics, high charge-storage capacitor, electroactive materials and pH sensors [1][2][3][4]. Metal/polymer nanocomposites have been processed via an in situ formation of metal nanoparticles in the polymer matrix from suitable metal precursors.…”

Multiscale instabilities in soft heterogeneous dielectric elastomers

“…The reason for this is the poor electromechanical coupling in typical polymers which have a limited ratio of dielectric to elastic modulus. An approach to challenge the issue is to consider heterogeneous DEs by combining an elastomer with a high dielectric or even conductive material [13][14][15][16][17]. This approach has been shown to be promising in experiments [8,18].…”