Electroactive polymers
First Claim
1. A transducer for converting from electrical energy to mechanical energy, the transducer comprising:
- at least two electrodes;
a polymer arranged in a manner which causes a portion of the polymer to deflect from a first position with a first surface area to a second position with a second surface area in response to a change in electric field;
a support structure for securing the portion of the polymer at the first position wherein the portion of the polymer is stretched from an initial surface area to the first surface area to improve the mechanical response of the transducer when it deflects from the first position to the second position and wherein the support structure is for supplying a force to the stretched portion of the polymer that prevents the stretched portion of the polymer from returning from the first surface area to about its initial surface area and wherein a ratio of the first surface area to the initial surface area is in the range of about 1 to about 50 in a first direction and in the range from less than about 1 in a surface area direction orthogonal to the first direction.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to transducers, their use and fabrication. The transducers convert between mechanical and electrical energy. Some transducers of the present invention include a pre-strained polymer. The pre-strain improves the conversion between electrical and mechanical energy. The present invention also relates to devices including an electroactive polymer to convert between electrical and mechanical energy. The present invention further relates to compliant electrodes that conform to the shape of a polymer included in a transducer. The present invention provides methods for fabricating electromechanical devices including one or more electroactive polymers.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A transducer for converting from electrical energy to mechanical energy, the transducer comprising:
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at least two electrodes;
a polymer arranged in a manner which causes a portion of the polymer to deflect from a first position with a first surface area to a second position with a second surface area in response to a change in electric field;
a support structure for securing the portion of the polymer at the first position wherein the portion of the polymer is stretched from an initial surface area to the first surface area to improve the mechanical response of the transducer when it deflects from the first position to the second position and wherein the support structure is for supplying a force to the stretched portion of the polymer that prevents the stretched portion of the polymer from returning from the first surface area to about its initial surface area and wherein a ratio of the first surface area to the initial surface area is in the range of about 1 to about 50 in a first direction and in the range from less than about 1 in a surface area direction orthogonal to the first direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A transducer for converting between mechanical and electrical energy, the transducer comprising:
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at least two electrodes; and
a polymer arranged in a manner which causes a portion of the polymer to deflect in response to a change in electric field and/or arranged in a manner which causes a change in electric field in response to deflection of the polymer, wherein the polymer is elastically pre-strained by a factor in the range of about −
1 times to about 50 times an original area of the polymer, wherein the polymer has an elastic modulus at most about 100 MPa. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. A transducer for converting electrical energy to mechanical energy, the transducer comprising:
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at least two electrodes;
a polymer arranged in a manner which causes a portion of the polymer to deflect from a first position with a first length to a second position with a second length in response to a change in electric field provided by the at least two electrodes, wherein the portion deflects with a maximum linear strain of at least about 40 percent between the first length and the second length in response to the change in electric field during operation of said transducer; and
a support structure for securing the polymer during the deflection between the first position and the second position. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. A transducer for converting electrical energy to mechanical energy, the transducer comprising:
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at least two electrodes;
a polymer arranged in a manner which causes a portion of the polymer to deflect from a first position with a first area to a second position with a second area in response to a change in electric field provided by the at least two electrodes, wherein the portion deflects with a maximum area strain of at least about 70 percent between the first area and the second area in response to the change in electric field during operation of said transducer; and
a support structure for securing the polymer during the deflection between the first position and the second position. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A transducer for converting between mechanical and electrical energy, the transducer comprising:
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at least two electrodes; and
a polymer arranged in a manner which causes a portion of the polymer to deflect in response to a change in electric field and/or arranged in a manner which causes a change in electric field in response to deflection of the polymer, wherein the polymer comprises a non-uniform surface. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A transducer for converting between mechanical and electrical energy, the transducer comprising:
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at least two electrodes; and
a polymer arranged in a manner which causes a portion of the polymer to deflect in response to a change in electric field and/or arranged in a manner which causes a change in electric field in response to deflection of the polymer, wherein the polymer has an elastic modulus at most about 100 MPa;
wherein the transducer has an electromechanical efficiency greater than about 80 percent.
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Specification