Ferroelectret

Abstract: Charged polypropylene films with a cellular structure show pseudopiezoelectric properties. Measurements of the direct and inverse electromechanical transducer constants of such films, relating to the operation as sensors and as actuators, respectively, yield values of ≈200 pC/N. These values can be explained with a theoretical model by assuming reasonable charge distributions and charge densities. The experimental and the theoretical results show the reciprocity of the transducer constants.

Abstract: Cellular polymers can be internally charged by "microstorms" (silent or partial discharges) within the voids of the polymer foam. The resulting material, which carries positive and negative charges on the internal void surfaces, is called a ferroelectret. Ferroelectrets behave like typical ferroelectrics, hence they provide a novel class of ferroic materials. The soft foams are strongly piezoelectric and can be used, in a wide range of applications, as transducers for interconverting mechanical and electrical signals. Herein, an overview is provided on the preparation of cellular polymers by physical foaming (extrusion, biaxial stretching, and controlled inflation by pressure treatments), on their charging by "microstorms", on their piezo- and pyroelectricity, and on analogies to ferroelectrics. Finally, a survey of selected applications is presented.

Abstract: We describe the concept, the fabrication, and the most relevant properties of a piezoelectric-polymer system: Two fluoroethylenepropylene (FEP) films with good electret properties are laminated around a specifically designed and prepared polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) template at 300 °C. After removing the PTFE template, a two-layer FEP film with open tubular channels is obtained. For electric charging, the two-layer FEP system is subjected to a high electric field. The resulting dielectric barrier discharges inside the tubular channels yield a ferroelectret with high piezoelectricity. d33 coefficients of up to 160 pC/N have already been achieved on the ferroelectret films. After charging at suitable elevated temperatures, the piezoelectricity is stable at temperatures of at least 130 °C. Advantages of the transducer films include ease of fabrication at laboratory or industrial scales, a wide range of possible geometrical and processing parameters, straightforward control of the uniformity of the polymer ...

Abstract: Cellular space charge polymer electrets significantly enlarge the basis of pyro- and piezoelectric as well as ferroic materials. Since the first review of the field has been published in this journal (R. Gerhard-Multhaupt, Less can be more: Holes in polymers lead to a new paradigm of piezoelectric materials for electret transducers, IEEE Trans. Dielectr. Electr. Insul. Vol.9, pp.850-859, 2002), progress has been achieved in the understanding, preparation and characterization of cellular space charge electrets. Advanced applications arise in stacked microphones, artificial sonar systems, and in the combination of piezo- and ferroelectrets with flexible electronics. In the present survey an update of the developments since 2002 is provided