Phase-Changing Bistable Electroactive Polymer Exhibiting Sharp Rigid-to-Rubbery Transition

Abstract

A phase-changing polymer comprising stearyl acrylate and a long-chain urethane diacrylate was studied as a new bistable electroactive polymer. The abrupt and reversible phase transition of the crystalline aggregates of the stearyl moieties results in a rapid shift between the rigid and rubbery states of the polymers during temperature cycles. The transition temperature is tunable between 34−46 °C. A storage modulus change of ∼1000 fold can be obtained within a narrow temperature range of 10 °C. The polymer shows excellent shape memory properties with both fixation rate and recovery rate close to 100%. Diaphragm actuators based on the polymer thin films were electrically actuated up to 70% strain at 50 °C. The actuated shape can be "frozen" after the films were allowed to cool below the transition temperature. This rigid-to-rigid deformation is refreshable and repeatable via the rigid-to-rubbery transition and electrical actuation in the rubbery state.

Bistable and Reconfigurable Photonic Crystals—Electroactive Shape Memory Polymer Nanocomposite for Ink‐Free Rewritable Paper

“…The phase‐change temperature ( T m ) of the BSEP varies from 30 °C to 45 °C depending on the composition. The electroactive, shape memory properties and crystallinity of SA‐UDA copolymers have been described elsewhere . For demonstration purposes, we used a SA‐UDA copolymer with a 60:40 weight ratio (BS60) throughout this work for its high stretchability and good fixing ratio.…”

Stretchable Organic Semiconductor Devices

“…Some of the significant developments are depicted in Figure . Other stretchable electronic devices utilizing one or more organic elements (i.e., electrodes, electrolytes, separators, stimuli‐responsive, and sensing materials), such as sensors, capacitors, batteries, piezotronic and piezo‐phototronic devices, electrochromic devices, actuators, generators, and photodetectors, are not included here, and interested readers are directed to other excellent reviews and articles on these subjects.…”

Small, fast, and tough: Shrinking down integrated elastomer transducers

“…Electromechanically active polymers (EAPs), both in the form of ionic EAPs 22,23 and dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) [24][25][26][27] are also interesting candidates due to the direct conversion from electrical energy to mechanical deformation. Finally, shape memory polymers, or phase change materials can be used to produce large deformation by thermal activation [28][29][30] . We focus this review on Dielectric Elastomer Transducers (DETs) [24][25][26][27] (i.e.…”