Three-dimensional piezoelectric materials and uses thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12408555-B2
Application number	US-201917057715-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 24, 2019
Priority date	May 24, 2018
Publication date	Sep 2, 2025
Grant date	Sep 2, 2025

Abstract

Described herein are aspects of a three-dimensional (3D) piezoelectric structure that can be composed of a 3D periodic microlattice that can be composed of a piezoelectric composite material, wherein the 3D periodic microlattice can include a plurality of interconnected 3D node units capable of generating a piezoelectric response upon application of a stress to the 3D periodic microlattice, and wherein the plurality of interconnected 3D node units can form a tailored piezoelectric tensor space. Also described herein are systems that can include one or more of the 3D piezoelectric structures described herein. Also described herein are methods of making and using the 3D piezoelectric structures described herein.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A three-dimensional (3D) piezoelectric structure comprising:
a 3D periodic microlattice comprising a piezoelectric composite material, wherein the 3D periodic microlattice comprises a plurality of interconnected 3D node units capable of generating a piezoelectric response upon application of a stress to the 3D periodic microlattice, and wherein the plurality of interconnected 3D node units form a tailored piezoelectric tensor space,
wherein each 3D node unit of the plurality of interconnected 3D node units comprises struts that are arranged in 3D space and wherein at least one of the struts in a first 3D node unit is connected to a struct in a second 3D node unit so as to form an interconnected 3D node unit.

2. The 3D piezoelectric structure of claim 1 , wherein the piezoelectric composite material comprises: a plurality of functionalized piezoelectric particles crosslinked to a polymer matrix.

3. The 3D piezoelectric structure of claim 2 , wherein the polymer matrix comprises photosensitive monomers.

4. The 3D piezoelectric structure of claim 2 , wherein the polymer matrix comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of: polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), hexanediol diacrylate (HDDA) a thermoset polymer, a thermoplastic polymer, and combinations thereof.

5. The 3D piezoelectric structure of claim 2 , wherein the functionalized piezoelectric particles comprise a piezoelectric particle and a functionalization moiety, wherein the functionalization moiety is covalently attached to the piezoelectric particle.

6. The 3D piezoelectric structure of claim 5 , wherein the piezoelectric particle is selected from the group consisting of: quartz, berlinite (AlPO 4 ), sodium potassium tartrate tetrahydrate, topaz, a tourmaline-group mineral, (PbTiO 3 ), langasite (La 3 Ga 5 SiO 14 ), gallium orthophosphate (GaPO 4 ), lithium niobite (LiNbO 3 ), lithium tantalite (LiTaO 3 ), barium titanate (BaTiO 3 ), lead zirconate titanate (PZT), potassium niobite (KNbO 3 ), sodium tungstate (Na 2 WO 3 ), Ba 2 NaNb 5 O 5 , Pb 2 KNb 5 O 15 , sodium potassium niobite (K,Na)NbO 3 ), bismuth ferrite (BiFeO 3 ), sodium niobite (NaNbO 3 ), bismuth titanate (Bi 4 Ti 3 O 12 ), sodium bismuth titanate (NaBi(TiO 3 ) 2 ), Zinc oxide (ZnO), niobite-lead titanate (PMN-PT), and combinations thereof.

7. The 3D piezoelectric structure of claim 6 , wherein the functionalization moiety is a moiety capable of forming hydroxyl groups on the nanoparticle surfaces to form covalent linkage with the polymer matrix.

8. The 3D piezoelectric structure of claim 7 , wherein the functionalization moiety is selected from the group consisting of: a moiety comprising an acrylate containing group, trimethyoxysilylpropyl methacrylate (TMSPM), trimethyoxysilylpropyl acrylate (TMSPA), and combinations thereof.

9. The 3D piezoelectric structure of claim 5 , wherein the functionalized piezoelectric particles are crosslinked to the polymer matrix via the functionalization moiety.

10. The three dimensional (3D) piezoelectric structure of claim 1 , wherein the 3D piezoelectric structure is manufactured using an additive manufacturing technique.

11. The 3D piezoelectric structure of claim 10 , wherein the additive manufacturing technique is a light-based additive manufacturing technique.

12. A system comprising:
one or more three dimensional (3D) piezoelectric structures as in claim 1 ; and
one or more electrodes, wherein the one or more electrodes are coupled to at least one of the one or more 3D piezoelectric structures.

13. The system of claim 12 , further comprising an electric current generator, wherein the electric current generator is coupled to at least one of the one or more 3D piezoelectric structures.

14. The system of claim 12 , further comprising an output sensor, wherein the electric output sensor is coupled to at least one of the one or more 3D piezoelectric structures and, wherein the output sensor is configured to receive an output signal from the one or more 3D piezoelectric structures.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the output signal is an electrical signal.

16. A method comprising:
applying a stress to a three dimensional (3D) piezoelectric structure of claim 1 ; and
generating a piezoelectric response to the applied stress, wherein the piezoelectric response is generated by the 3D piezoelectric structure as in claim 1 .

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the stress is an electrical current and the piezoelectric response is a mechanical response.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the stress is a mechanical force and the piezoelectric response is an electrical output.

19. The system of claim 12 , wherein the system comprises two or more three dimensional (3D) piezoelectric structures, wherein the two or more 3D structures are interconnected, wherein at least two of the 3D piezoelectric structures have different 3D microlattices, and wherein the at least two 3D piezoelectric structures having different 3D microlattices produce a different piezoelectric response upon application of a stress to the two or more interconnected 3D piezoelectric structures.

Assignees

• Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties Inc

Inventors

• Zheng Xiaoyu
• Cui Huachen
• HENSLEIGH Ryan

Classifications

• H10N30/098

  Forming organic materials · CPC title

• H10N30/093

  Forming inorganic materials · CPC title

• B33Y80/00

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B33Y70/00

  Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B33Y40/00

  Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling · CPC title