J F C Windmill et al 2008 Nanotechnology 19 035506 doi:10.1088/0957-4484/19/03/035506
J F C Windmill, A Zorab, D J Bedwell and D Robert
Show affiliationsElectrically charged cellular polymers are known to display pseudo-piezoelectric effects that endow them with interesting mechano-electrical characteristics. When a film of such a polymer is compressed, charge is generated across its thickness, and conversely, applying an oscillatory or static potential elicits mechanical motions. This dual sensor–actuator behaviour can be embedded in one material and presents distinct advantages of functional integration. A novel electroactive foam is presented here that embeds such a sensor–actuator function. The foam has a sensitivity constant (d33) of 330 pC N−1. Interestingly, the resonant behaviour of the cellular film can be altered by variation in the DC offset across the material. Such adaptive capacity could be of great advantage for tuning polymer-based mechanical devices to be either efficient sound radiators and mechanical actuators, or sensitive and coherent sensors. Possible applications in microfluidics are also discussed.
77.65.-j Piezoelectricity and electromechanical effects
77.84.Jd Polymers; organic compounds
85.85.+j Micro- and nano-electromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS) and devices
07.07.Df Sensors (chemical, optical, electrical, movement, gas, etc.); remote sensing
Soft matter, liquids and polymers
Condensed matter: electrical, magnetic and optical
Issue 3 (23 January 2008)
Received 19 July 2007, in final form 6 November 2007
Published 13 December 2007
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