Electroactive Polymers for Smart Skin Applications
Abstract
This report summarizes the development of a new class of electroactive polymer, high energy electron irradiated P(VDF-TrFE) copolymer, which exhibits a ultrahigh electrostrictive strain with high elastic energy density and high electromechanical coupling factor. The processing conditions on the electromechanical performance of the irradiated copolymer were systematically investigated. The electromechanical responses were characterized as a function of temperature, mechanical load, and frequency. The results demonstrate that the newly developed electrostrictive copolymer has a high load capability (up to 45 MPa) and can maintain the high strain level to high frequency (approx. 100 kHz) which are suitable for Navy underwater acoustics applications. In addition, the irradiated copolymer also possesses a high room temperature dielectric constant, the highest among the known polymers, and shows many features resembling the relaxor ferroelectric system, which makes it the first known relaxor ferroelectric polymer. The changes in the structure, morphology, and transitional behavior were also characterized in terms of WAXS, DSC, FT-IR, and crosslinking density measurement.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 20, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA378481
Entities
People
- Qiming Zhang
Organizations
- Pennsylvania State University