Electrospun electroactive polymers

• US 20060057377A1
• Filed: 12/18/2004
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Administrator Of The National Aeronautics And Space Administration
• Original Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Inventors: Harrison, Joycelyn S., Ounaies, Zoubeida, Park, Cheol, Siochi, Emilie J., Burney, Kristin J.
• Application Number:
  US11/017,546
• Publication Number:
  US 20060057377A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/364
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: D01D 5/0038 the fibre formed by solvent evaporation, i.e. dry electro-spinning
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 1/10 Other agents for modifying properties
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 3/02 characterised by the method of forming fleeces or layers, e.g. reorientation of yarns or filaments
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 3/16 with bonds between thermoplastic filaments produced in association with filament formation, e.g. immediately following extrusion
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/045 by polarising
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/098 Forming organic materials
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/857 Macromolecular compositions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2913 Rod, strand, filament or fiber

Abstract

Electroactive polymers are produced via electrospinning. The induction of electroactivity via electrospinning can be utilized with one or more soluble polymers with polarizable moieties. Suitable polymer classes include but are not limited to polyimides, polyamides, vinyl polymers, polyurethanes, polyureas, polythioureas, polyacrylates, polyesters, and biopolymers. Any one or more solvents sufficient to dissolve the one or more polymers of interest and make a spinnable solution can be utilized. The polymer can be electrospun into fiber and fibrous nonwoven mat. The electroactive polymer can be doped with inclusions, such as nanotubes, nanofibers, and piezoceramic powders for dielectric enhancement The availability of electroactive polymer fibers and fibrous nonwoven mat will enable many new applications for electroactive polymers.

Claims

1. An electrospun electroactive polymer.

2. The electroactive polymer of claim 1, wherein said polymer is a fiber.

3. The electroactive polymer of claim 2, wherein said fiber has a diameter between approximately 10 nm and approximately 10 μ

m.

4. The electroactive polymer of claim 1, wherein said polymer is a fibrous nonwoven mat.

5. The electroactive polymer of claim 1, wherein said polymer is electrospun from a solution comprising one or more polymers having polarizable moieties dissolved in one or more solvents, wherein said one or more solvents dissolves the one or more polymers of interest to make a spinnable solution.

6. The electroactive polymer of claim 5, wherein said one or more polymers having polarizable moieties is selected from the group consisting of polymides, polyamides, vinyl polymers, polyurethanes, polyureas, polythioureas, polyacrylates, polyesters and biopolymers.

7. The electroactive polymer of claim 6, wherein said one or more polyimides is selected from the group consisting of 2,6-bis(3-aminophenoxy)benzonitrile ((β

-CN)APB)/4,4′

oxydiphthalic anhydride (ODPA) ((β

-CN)APB-ODPA) and amorphous polyimide.

8. The electroactive polymer of claim 7, wherein said amorphous polyimide is amorphous polyetherimide.

9. The electroactive polymer of claim 6, wherein said one or more polyamides is an odd-numbered nylon.

10. The electroactive polymer of claim 6, wherein said one or more vinyl polymers are selected from the group consisting of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), copolymer of vinylidene fluoride and trifluoroethylene (PVDF/TrFE), poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), graft elastomer, and vinyl copolymer.

11. The electroactive polymer of claim 6, wherein said one or more polyacrylates is poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA).

12. The electroactive polymer of claim 6, wherein said one or more biopolmers is selected from the group consisting of polypeptide and keratin.

13. The electroactive polymer of claim 5, wherein said one or more solvents is selected from the group consisting of N,N-Dimethylformamide (DMF), N,N-Dimethylacetamide (DMAc), N-methylpyrrolidinone (NMP), toluene, and cosolvent.

14. The electroactive polymer of claim 13, wherein said cosolvent is DMF/acetone.

15. The polymer of claim 1, further comprising inclusions for dielectric enhancement.

16. The polymer of claim 15, wherein said inclusions are selected from the group consisting of nanotubes, nanofibers, and piezoceramic powders.

17. The polymer of claim 16, wherein said nanotubes are selected from the group consisting of single-walled carbon nanotubes and multi-walled carbon nanotubes.

18. A process for producing polymeric materials for electroactive applications comprising electrospinning of a solution comprising one or more polymers having polarizable moieties dissolved in one or more solvents, wherein said one or more solvents dissolves the one or more polymers of interest to make a spinnable solution.

19. The process of claim 18, wherein said one or more polymers having polarizable moieties is selected from the group consisting of polyimides, polyamides, vinyl polymers, polyurethanes, polyureas, polythioureas, polyacrylates, polyesters and biopolymers.

20. The process of claim 19, wherein said one or more polyimides is selected from the group consisting of 2,6-bis(3-aminophenoxy)benzonitrile ((β

-CN)APB)/4,4′

oxydiphthalic anhydride (ODPA) ((β

-CN)APB-ODPA) and amorphous polyimide.

21. The process of claim 20, wherein said amorphous polyimide is amorphous polyetherimide.

22. The process of claim 19, wherein said one or more polyamides is an odd-numbered nylon.

23. The process of claim 19, wherein said one or more vinyl polymers are selected from the group consisting of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), copolymer of vinylidene fluoride and trifluoroethylene (PVDF-/TrFE), poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), graft elastomer, and vinyl copolymer.

24. The process of claim 19, wherein said one or more polyacrylates is poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA).

25. The process of claim 19, wherein said one or more biopolmers is selected from the group consisting of polypeptide and keratin.

26. The process of claim 18, wherein said one or more solvents is selected from the group consisting of N,N-Dimethylformamide (DMF), N,N-Dimethylacetamide (DMAc), N-methylpyrrolidinone (NMP), toluene, and cosolvent.

27. The process of claim 26, wherein said cosolvent is DMF/acetone.

28. The process of claim 18 wherein said solution further comprises inclusions for dielectric enhancement.

29. The process of claim 28, wherein said inclusions are selected from the group consisting of nanotubes, nanofibers, and piezoceramic powders.

30. The process of claim 18, wherein said polymeric material is a fiber.

31. The process of claim 30, wherein said fiber has a diameter between approximately 10 nm and approximately 10 μ

m.

32. The process of claim 18, wherein said polymeric material is a fibrous nonwoven mat.

33. A process for producing polymeric materials for electroactive applications, comprising the in situ induction of polar phase and spontaneous dipolar orientation of electroactive polymers via electrospinning a polymer solution, wherein said solution comprises one or more polymers having polarizable moieties dissolved in one or more solvents, wherein said one or more solvents dissolves the one or more polymers of interest to make a spinnable solution.