Novel Additive Manufacturing-Based Electric Poling Process of PVDF Polymer for Piezoelectric Device Applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016016369-A1
Application number	US-201514718648-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 21, 2015
Priority date	May 21, 2014
Publication date	Jan 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods for forming a piezoelectric device are provided. The method can comprise: electrically poling and printing the piezoelectric device from a polymeric filament simultaneously. The polymeric filament can comprise a polyvinylidene fluoride polymer (e.g., a β phase polyvinylidene fluoride polymer, such as formed by simultaneously stretching and electric poling an electrically inactive α phase polyvinylidene fluoride polymer).

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A method of forming a piezoelectric device, the method comprising:
electrically poling and printing the piezoelectric device from a polymeric filament simultaneously, wherein the polymeric filament comprises a polyvinylidene fluoride polymer.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the piezoelectric device is a 3D device.

3 . The method of claim 1 , where the piezoelectric device is built one-layer at a time from the bottom up.

4 . The method of any claim 1 , wherein the piezoelectric device comprises β phase polyvinylidene fluoride polymer.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the R phase polyvinylidene fluoride polymer is formed by: simultaneously stretching and electric poling an electrically inactive a phase polyvinylidene fluoride polymer.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric filament is formed from a polymeric material passed through an extrusion nozzle while the nozzle is heated at a temperature that is greater than the glass transition temperature of the polymeric material.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the nozzle has a temperature during printing in the range of about 185° C. to about 275° C.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the nozzle has a temperature during printing in the range of about 200° C. to about 250° C.

9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the nozzle has a temperature during printing in the range of about 225° C. to about 235° C.

10 . The method of claim 6 , wherein electrically poling is achieved by applying an electric field between the nozzle of the extruder and the printing surface of about 1.0 MV/m to about 3.0 MV/m.

11 . The method of claim 6 , wherein electrically poling is achieved by applying an electric field between the nozzle of the extruder and the printing surface of about 1.5 MV/m to about 2.5 MV/m.

12 . The method of any preceding claim, wherein the polymeric filament has a diameter of about 200 μm to about 1 mm.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric filament has a diameter of about 250 μm to about 750 μm.

14 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:
mechanically and electrically poling and printing the piezoelectric device from a polymeric filament simultaneously.

15 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:
mechanically, thermally, and electrically poling and printing the piezoelectric device from a polymeric filament simultaneously.

Assignees

• Univ South Carolina

Inventors

• Tarbutton Joshua
• Lee Chabum

Classifications

• B29C71/0081 Primary

  using an electric field, e.g. for electrostatic charging (electrostatic pinning of extruded material B29C48/9165; fixing linings by electrostatic charges B29C63/0043) · CPC title

• B29C64/118

  using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM] · CPC title

• B29K2027/16

  PVDF, i.e. polyvinylidene fluoride · CPC title

• B33Y70/00

  Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing · CPC title

• H01L41/193

  Electricity · mapped topic